Question Existing
by SessInSunglasses
Summary: Kagome, after a fight with Inuyasha, strikes out for Jewel shards on her own - but she ends up with much more than she bargained for. Kag/Sess/Inu
1. Chapter 1

Hey hey hey!! I'm _**FINALLY**_ back, yo! How long has it been?? I don't wanna know! All I know is that I'm back, and hope you like my new story, **Question Existing**. To those whom I said I would write oneshots for, talk to me! I've been unable to come up with ideas (the Robin Hood one was _way_ hard, I think I need a new idea for that one!) and I'm sorry I've been away so long, I'm a full-time workin' girl now! Still, I'm sorry!

Deds: This Chap goes out to **sweet inusailor12**, who got me back in the groove, and **Nimeway**, who so graciously asked after me after so long, _just_ to see how I was doing. Teshar, Mal, you guys rock! Thanks again!!

Disclaimer: Go 'way!! I don't harrass you! No money!! Hissssssssss!!

**Question Existing**

Bow-strings drawn tight, the miko took a deep breath, held it, and fired at her target. With a satisfying _thwock!_ the arrowhead hammered the bark of a tree one hundred feet away, inside the tiny circle the miko had drawn as her target.

Proud, she drew again, this time aiming to split her own arrow. Pulling back the bow-strings, she nocked the arrow, and closed one eye. Carefully, she let it loose, smiling when her first arrow was pulverised by the second.

Kagome, the miko in question, nocked her third arrow and concentrated her power. The tip began to glow pink, and in a minute was blindingly bright. Letting it fly, she watched it shoot toward the target, and a small explosion followed; her arrow had burned a fist-sized hole six inches into the bark of the old oak.

Smiling a bit, she once again examined the compound bow in her hands. Her birthday was today, and her grandfather had given it to her along with a lucky rabbit's foot, because apparently it had belonged to some lucky lord and was an antique and would help her, or some such blather. She'd just smiled and nodded, thanked him for his gift, and then crossed over to Feudal Japan to try it out.

_Maybe now Inuyasha will stop comparing me to Kikyou_, she thought wistfully. She had to admit, the compound bow was much easier to handle than the long-bow she'd been given by Kaede. For one thing, it was easier to draw, and her arms didn't burn with the tension of holding it taut as quickly. Secondly, if she wasn't shaking with the strain of drawing it tight, she could concentrate on aiming, and had hit her target every time since she'd started using it. It was a bit complicated-looking, but she didn't care. It was better than that old piece of junk she'd been using.

_I'll have to remember to bring him something back to really thank him_, she thought, turning around to head into the village and show her friends her new birthday present.

As she walked through Inuyasha's Forest, Kagome felt her miko powers flare, and paused. After a minute, nothing happened, so she moved on, but she could have sworn she'd felt a youkai nearby.

Reaching Kaede's hut, she walked through the door and greeted the old woman awaiting her there. "Good afternoon, Kaede."

Kaede smiled and nodded to Kagome, and gestured for her to sit. "Good afternoon, child. I hope ye are well."

"I am. Look what I got for my birthday." She handed the old miko her new bow.

"Ah, happy birthday, Kagome. What is this, now? It _looks_ like a bow..."

Kagome laughed. "It is. A compound bow, an invention, or rather, an improvement, from my era."

Kaede handed it back to her carefully. "How does it work?"

"Just the same as your bow, only it's lighter and more durable. It's guaranteed not to break, rust, or warp."

Kaede raised her brows. "Is it now? Would ye mind if I tried it?"

Kagome grinned. "Not at all."

Together they went outside, and Kaede tried the new bow. It loosed perfectly and Kaede and Kagome laughed at the inu-hanyou boy now dangling from the thick pole that held up the Shinto gate at the bottom of the stairs leading to the main shrine, Kaede's second arrow holding him fast.

Inuyasha struggled to free himself from the pole. "Hey! Kagome! What's the big idea? Kaede, that wasn't funny!"

Sango, coming up from the road behind them, joined the two women, a smile hidden behind her hand. "It would appear that you've caught yourself a live one, Kaede."

"So it would. I thought I detected a spy in our midst. Relax, Inuyasha, we'll not leave ye hanging. I'm sure Miroku will be along any minute to assist ye. After all, we women are too short to be of any help." Chuckling, the old woman headed into her hut, handing Kagome her bow, Sango following her. Kagome shook her head, and went to stand beneath Inuyasha.

"You can't just leave me here! Come back! Kagome," he panted, his face angry. "Get me down! _Now_!"

Kagome tried, but Kaede was right; she was just too short. "Sorry, Inuyasha, but it's no use. I can't free you."

He muttered grumpily, crossing his arms as he swung from side to side. "This is all _your_ fault, you know. If you hadn't given her that bow, I wouldn't be stuck here!"

Kagome felt anger tickle the back of her brain. _Her_ fault? If he hadn't been spying, Kaede would never have seen him try to dash away and pinned him to the pole in the first place!

"Calm down, Inuyasha," she replied, raising a brow.

"_You_ calm down! I was minding my own business, she had no right to shoot at me! I hate being shot at!"

Kagome could sympathise, but really, he _was_ acting like a baby. "You most certainly were _not _minding your own business, that's why you were caught. And besides, I should think you'd be used to being shot at by now. And for your information, that was my new bow, so archery will be a snap for me from now on."

He snorted and looked away. "You'd need it to be, with the way you've been shooting lately."

Kagome wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. "What was that?"

He scoffed, "You heard me. You need all the help you can get with archery. Kikyou was never so helpless with a bow. You, on the other hand, may as well be lobbing rocks, not arrows."

Crossing her arms and mimicking his body language, Kagome growled, "Is that so? Well, what a happy birthday this has turned out to be! Thanks a lot, you arrogant prick. I suppose you'll be telling me that you don't even need me next. How very noble of you. If you think I'm so useless, why are you with me in the first place? I certainly never asked for your help."

He glared. "You didn't have to. We both know you needed it. You'd have never lived past the first hour without me, Kagome, and you know it!"

Frustrated beyond the point of no return, Kagome yelled, "Yeah? Well, I don't need you! I can do this on my own, without your help! When you get down, tell the others I'm sorry I had to leave again so quickly, but I'm sure once you tell them why I left, they'll understand what happened. Goodbye, Inuyasha. Don't let the crows peck your eyes out!"

Angrily she stomped away up the stairs, toward the Well. The _nerve _of him! As if he could accuse _her _of being helpless! _He couldn't even get himself down from a pole, that arrogant jackass!  
_

_I don't give a rat's ass what he thinks_, she thought, balling her fists, _I don't need him. I'll gather my own shards of the Jewel, no Inuyasha required!  
_

Inuyasha grunted and re-crossed his arms. _Stupid Kagome_, he thought, instantly regretting his outburst. He had been spying, but they didn't know that... until he'd broken cover, anyway. Besides, it wasn't Kagome's fault. He sniffed angrily at himself. He always seemed to screw up things with her. When he was angry, he always took it out on her without meaning to, and she'd been convenient this time. He was sorry, but he wasn't going to apologise. It might do her good to be on her own for a while, and realise how right he was about her needing him! He neglected to remember that he needed her, as well, to perform at his peak strength. With Kagome's exodus, he'd only weakened his own defences.

Kagome strode to the Well, her new bow clutched tight in her fist. That was it. She wasn't taking it anymore. _He couldn't even wish her a happy birthday, that dink!_ Making a sound of frustration, she hurled her body into the Well. She had indeed needed help in the past, but she was sick of being blamed all the time for what unfortunate events befell her and required the others to drop what they were doing to come to her rescue. She knew Sango, Miroku, and Shippo would never hold something like her own frailty against her, as she would never do to them, but leave it to Inuyasha to be the black sheep and make a big deal about it.

There were plans to make. If she was going to do this, she was going to be prepared and do it right. Her new bow was already taken care of, so all she needed now were provisions of her own and a few modern gadgets to get ahead of the game. If she was going it alone, she wanted to have every possible advantage she could get on her side.

In her own era, she went around gathering what she thought she'd need. In a few days, she'd be ready. She'd show him. She'd show them all.

But most of all, she'd show herself.

* * *

Well? Like it or lump it? It gets better, I think... but who cares?? It's done!! Thanks for reading, and I'll have chapter two up shortly!!


	2. Chapter 2

Well, it would seem that my old fans are still out there! Which is great, lol, I was hoping you'd pop up! It's so good to hear from everyone again, I bet you all thought I fell off the face of the Earth, haha!

Deds:

**DemonDog113** - Yeah, he's pretty prick-ish, lol. Good to hear from you again, btw! Thanks!

**helenluvsboo** - Good to know! Lumps suck, lol!

**Mystical Hanyou** - Yes, it's good to be back. I'm glad you think this has potential, cause the more I read it, the more I don't agree, lol, but that's prolly cuz I've read it too much. Oh well. AND, mature for a VERY good reason, wink!!

**Jenn** - HEY YO! Lol, I'm still around! I don't like work, but I'm used to it now, so it's not so bad. You do get a oneshot, that's right. Lemme meditate on it and I'll see what I can do, lol! You will get your Sessh fantasy, have no fear!!

**Nimeway** - Thanks for the uplifting thoughts, heehee! The prob with RH is, well... I can't build up a story round it, and I really tried, too. So, could we switch the idea? Just so that you can get your story before we're all ninety and incontinent, lol! (Not to mention blind)!!

**_Question Existing - Part Two_**

Kagome looked over her pack one last time. She had dehydrated foodstuffs, a compass, some face paint, new boots, new camouflage clothing, and some fishing line and lures. She would be doing all her own cooking now, so fish would be a big staple when her dry food ran out.

She stood up to straighten her pants, which were tucked snugly into her boots, and her green t-shirt; she'd also packed her priestess outfit, in case it came in handy. She'd gone to the hair salon two days ago and demanded to have all her long, beautiful hair cut off, leaving her with a short crop that she actually kinda liked. It was versatile, no fuss, and the new colour, a deep brown, would help her go unnoticed in a forest of green.

In place of her earrings were very small plugs, another low-maintenance way to keep her piercings. She'd also thrown into her bag disinfectant, bandages, a lighter, and a Swiss army knife. Lifting her stuff, she smiled. It was a lot lighter than her backpack had ever been, and there was nothing in it that she wouldn't really need when the time came. Picking up her bow, she stepped into the entryway to lace up her boots.

"Kagome, what are you doing?"

She looked up into Souta's face, as he busily chewed a cookie and left his crumbs all over the carpet, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"I'm leaving, what's it look like?" She finished tying her left boot.

"Why are you dressed like that? Are you and Inuyasha going on some special mission or something?"

She closed her eyes and remembered to be patient, he didn't know what had happened yet. "_Inuyasha_ and I aren't going anywhere. I'm looking for Jewel shards on my own now. He opened his mouth once too often and pissed me off. And I'm dressed this way because if I'm going to survive on my own, I have to blend in."

"Oh." He continued to crunch his cookie. "Did you guys break up?"

"We weren't together, Souta."

"Yeah, you were. He's always over here hanging around you, and you've always got this starry look in your eyes when he does-"

"Not anymore." She interrupted, her eyes wide, her expression clearly implying _drop it_.

"Oh." He said again. "Well, good luck then. I guess."

_You guess?!_

"Thanks." She closed the door behind her. "Tell Mom and Grampa I said bye."

Trudging across the yard toward the Well, Kagome felt her anger rise a little more. Did Souta _have_ to remind her of her affection for Inuyasha? She was trying to prove herself here, and he just had to go and ruin her good mood. That little jerk!

_Calm down, he didn't know_, she soothed her ego. _He didn't know, and it **is** strange for me to dress this way. If he'd said anything bad about my hair I'd have probably screamed_.

Reaching the bottom step before the Well, she strapped her bag down tight over her back and waist and climbed in, the blue light enveloping her.

Landing softly, she climbed out, sat down on the lip, and pulled out her nature guide. It detailed everything from what kind of wildlife she could expect to see to how to butcher an animal for meat. Comparing it with a few maps she'd printed off the Internet detailing Feudal Japan and all the major points of population, she set off to Kaede's, to ask if any rumours of Jewel shards had reached Edo.

Sango saw her first, coming down the stairs, and rushed up to meet her.

"Kagome, is it true? Inuyasha said you weren't helping us anymore!" She tilted her head to the side. "Why did you cut off all your hair, Kagome? And why is it brown?"

Kagome sighed. She hadn't been looking forward to this part.

"It's kind of true, Sango. I'm going to prove to Inuyasha that I don't need his help, and the only way to do that is to set out on my own, but don't worry, I'm still friends with you guys, but Inuyasha's kind of on my black list right now."

Sango frowned. "Yeah? I thought he sounded a little _too _cocky when he told us you'd left. Did he make you angry?"

"Yeah, he really pissed me off this time. I refuse to put up with being reminded day in and day out what a pain in his ass I am, so I told him to forget working with me, I was going it alone."

Sango smiled. "Good for you, Kagome. I think I understand, now. Your brown hair will be good camouflage in the forest."

Kagome smiled back. "I know I'm an amateur, but I think I've got all I need to keep me going. If you'll excuse me?"

"Certainly," Sango replied, walking her to Kaede's hut and waiting outside while the two spoke alone.

Five minutes later, both women came out. "I think ye are right to teach that dog a lesson, Kagome. He's been getting much too big for his britches lately, it seems. Good luck, and farewell, child. I have heard that there is a rumour of a shard to the West. Go and add it to your collection."

Kagome hugged her and Sango goodbye. "We'll probably be following you soon," Sango said, as Kaede limped back inside. "Would you like me to stall the others, and give you a chance to find it?"

"Would you?" Kagome grinned.

"Of course. Don't worry about us. And be careful, Kagome." Sango hugged Kagome hard, before letting her go.

"Thanks, Sango."

"Will you ever join us again?"

Kagome laughed. "Yes. I just have to do this so I can prove to myself, and to Inuyasha, that I'm not just a helpless female. I'm doing it for all women-kind out there!" She raised a righteous fist, and both of them laughed.

"Good. See you soon, Kagome."

"Thanks, you too, Sango."

Sango waved, and Kagome headed West, through the forest. When she could no longer see her, Sango went into the hut with Kaede.

Kagome consulted her map. Kaede had said she'd heard rumours from a small village to the West. If she stopped in every one and asked around, hopefully her search would yield her a shard or two.

Back at the hut, Sango sipped tea across the fire from Kaede. "Kaede, do you think she'll be alright?"

Kaede smiled. "She'll be fine. She has the will and the determination to prove herself, child. Inuyasha, too, will come to see in time his mistake in letting her leave him."

Sango frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Inuyasha becomes weaker without Kagome by his side, remember? He will not be at his best when next he fights, if she is not with him."

Sango nodded, remembering. "You don't think he'll do something rash like ask Kikyou to join us, do you?"

Kaede closed her eyes. "With Inuyasha, ye never know. I doubt my sister would agree, even if he did."

Sango sighed. _That Inuyasha and his big mouth!_ If it weren't for him, she'd still have her best friend to talk to whenever she needed her, but now Kagome was gone on her own. The days ahead seemed to stretch away, lonely and indefinite.

* * *

Later that night, Kagome settled down to make camp.

Unrolling her sleeping bag, she gathered dry wood for a fire, started it with her Bic lighter and a small dash of lighter fluid, and sat down to boil water. Picking up a few sticks, she took out her knife and got to work while she waited for the water.

Soon the water was ready, and she ate some ramen for dinner. After, she finished whittling a long stick, then took out a long, metal tube, cut length-wise so the inside was visible, with a seam down the middle for give.  
Setting the stick inside, she poured the rest of her boiling water into the tube and set it on a spit over the fire to stay warm.

An hour later, she drained the water, and tightened the tube with strings, letting the wood dry.

The following morning, she took the straight, dry stick from the tube, carved the tip to a sharp point, and made four slots in the opposite end for the fletching.

Cleaning up, she spent the rest of the day repeating this process, occasionally getting up to look for feathers, which weren't hard to find, and by the end of that day, had made herself five new arrows.

Tired, but happy, Kagome admired her handy-work. She couldn't have been happier with the results of her labours. The arrows were straight, the fletching stiff, and the tips fire-hardened. The last step was to tie and tighten them into the shaft.

By the time she fell asleep, fire out, she was satisfied with a day well-spent.

From the darkness, a pair of yellow eyes watched her; had, in fact, been watching her all day. He'd know her scent anywhere, but it surprised him to see her so alone. Normally, Inuyasha was hovering around like bad news, but now, he was nowhere to be found, and no scent of him was discernable.

_Strange_, Sesshoumaru thought, keeping his youki to the bare minimum. He didn't want to give himself away; she didn't need to know he was watching her. He'd only scare her if she knew, anyway, and he was in no mood to fight.

He merely observed her. Her breathing was shallow and even, barely audible above the sounds of the night. He thought about her altered appearance, and what had brought it about.

Earlier in the day, he'd caught her scent on the wind and wondered what she was doing so close to his border. She appeared to be alone, which was another tip-off that something was up. As long as he'd known this woman, she was almost _never_ alone.

When he'd finally eased within sight of her, he'd been forced to wonder if his eyes weren't working; before him was a girl he'd never seen before. Her hair was brown, short, and feathery. Her skin was coated in some sort of oily paint, and her clothing was in no way revealing at all. In fact, it was more conservative, and oddly patterned, than anything he'd ever seen before, and when she sat very still, he noted her uncanny ability to fade into her surroundings, seemingly without any effort.

Bemused at her change in appearance, he nevertheless confirmed by her scent that she was indeed the woman known as Kagome, his brother's miko companion.

Something had apparently happened between them, that Inuyasha was not here with her. He thought the hanyou had probably worn out his welcome in the miko's circle of friends, and couldn't repress the small smile that crept about his lips. If anyone was as deserving of punishment for such behaviour, it was Inuyasha. But that didn't explain the absence of her other companions. _Had she been ostracised from their group?  
_

No matter how long he thought about it he couldn't come up with a worthy reason why her friends would do that to her; she was too valuable a commodity for them to be so brash. He'd heard of her ability to find shards of the Shikon, and figured that perhaps another reason for her solitary journey was the fact that she was tired of being used as the means for Inuyasha's ends, whatever they were. Sesshoumaru didn't know why Inuyasha was looking for the Jewel, but he had a pretty good idea, and he scorned it. No matter what he did, no matter what kind of wishes he made, in Sesshoumaru's eyes, his brother would never truly achieve his goal of becoming a full-demon.

He decided that the only way to sate his curiosity would be to simply ask her why she was here. Once he had, he would leave her and be on his way. However, she was asleep now; his queries would have to wait till morning.

Leaning back, he made himself comfortable in the tree he'd occupied since finding her, and closed his eyes.

* * *

Oh, a spy... and a tall, light and handsome one at that! (I could put up with that, hehehe.) I'd hit that, haha!


	3. Chapter 3

Deds:

**Nimeway** - Oh, she confronts him alright - or rather, I guess he confronts her... I still gotta edit, hehe, so I guess we'll both find out!

**helenluvsboo** - Thanks!

**Kitsune's Lover** - Lol, I would, you're right, haha! I like a spick and span Sessh-pants, lmao. I still work at the same place, only on days. Its a lot more money, and I like it better, too, but, heehee, I'm on holidays right now, so, I like it _a lot_ this week, ha!

**DemonDog113** - Read on, muchacho!!

**Mystical Hanyou** - Okay now yer freakin' me! That guess was pretty good! Well, read, see what else you can guess from this chapter about what might unfold??

* * *

**Question Existing**

Kagome awoke suddenly, and opened one eye.

There was a demon nearby; it's youki was strong, and she berated herself for not picking up on it earlier. _One whole day on her own and already she was falling flat on her face!  
_

Reaching out, she slid her fingers silently over her bow and a nearby arrow, then waited. All she could hear were morning insects buzzing, and leaves rustling in the breeze, but the youki wasn't moving; it was still, somewhere behind her. Taking a deep breath, she moved.

Sitting up, nocking the arrow and swinging around, Kagome closed one eye and aimed behind her, pulling the bow-strings taught, and just caught herself before she let them loose.

In her sight stood Sesshoumaru, an unreadable expression on his face. She frowned. _I should have recognised his youki_. _No one's is that strong, not even Naraku's.  
_

Slowly, she opened her eye, and lowered her bow to her lap, though she didn't let it go. She stared back at him. _What was he doing here?_ He didn't seem to be threatening her, though with Sesshoumaru, one never really knew. He could be calm one minute, and the next he was crushing your throat. She kept her fingers tightly around her arrow's fletching, the smooth texture of the string soothing under her fingertips.

He took a step toward her, and she tensed, but he didn't make any sudden moves; slowly he made his way closer.

She noted how his silver hair was gilded gold in the early morning sun. His eyes, so cold, yet so luminescent, were captivating in a face such as his. Smooth skin, fine magenta stripes, and thin, delicate eyebrows made him what could only be described as beautiful; perfect in face and form, she was only reminded of her own imperfections the longer she watched him. Her clothes were rumpled, and she probably had a major case of bed-head, too. Her eyes felt crusty, and if the pain was any indication, she had a zit coming under all her makeup, which was probably smeared all over her face unattractively.

It briefly occurred to her to wonder why she should care, but in the light of his approach that thought went wayward. She felt self-conscious and repressed the urgent temptation to fix her hair.

"All alone, miko?"

His smooth, deep voice startled her from her thoughts, and she blinked, frowning. Her arrow bobbed around in her lap as she fumbled to keep her grip on it.

"Who wants to know?" She smiled inwardly. _Since when was Sesshoumaru so nosy? Was he planning to use her against Inuyasha? Fat chance_. She'd shoot him first. But, then again, he could just be curious. Somehow, curiosity wasn't a trait she imagined he possessed. She assumed he just _knew_ everything. She felt quite clever in her evasive response. If he could be nonchalant, so could she.

Inwardly, he smirked. _So, she knew how to play the game, did she?  
_

Giving in, he replied after a moment's thought, "I do."

She raised a brow, as if to ask, _Oh?_ "Do you? What about me could possibly be of interest to you?"

He raised a brow in return, though the rest of his expression remained indifferent. "You are on my land, miko."

She looked around, then rested her gaze on his face once again. "Am I? There were no border markings."

"There are, but you do not have the facilities to recognise them." His clawed fingers flicked back and forth, lazily. "There are scent marks."

"Oh. Sorry. Do you want me to leave?"

He eyed her quizzically. She was trespassing, yet nothing about her apology was sincere. He ignored her question and asked one of his own.

"Did your companions abandon you?"

She looked down at her hands, and a small wrinkle grew between her brows before she looked up again. "No. I left them."

That was surprising. He couldn't imagine why he cared enough to ask, but he did. "Why?"

She tossed her blanket aside and folded up her leg so that her chin rested atop it. "I'm trying to prove that I can survive without them. Or, more accurately, without Inuyasha."

That wasn't what he'd expected to hear. She had wilfully abandoned his Neanderthal of a brother? It proved she had some sense, more than he thought a human could possess. _But why the need to prove herself?  
_

"You are human. He assumes you are incapable of looking after yourself. Correct?"

The furrow in her forehead grew deeper, and he would swear she was glaring at him. "Yes. I admit I've needed help in the past, but for my own peace of mind, I'd like to at least prove to myself whether or not his stupid assumptions are true."

She fingered the bow in her hands, and he noted its odd shape and strings. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

"And he let you go?"

She snorted. "He doesn't own me. I'll do as I please, when I please. He's not my mother."

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to grin. She was fiery, this miko! He admired her, only in the fact that she seemed to enjoy annoying his hanyou half-brother. In his book, that made her tolerable.

"Am I correct in assuming that you are endeavouring to teach yourself survival skills so you may show Inuyasha that you don't need him?"

She smiled a little at him. "You could say that. I'm sick and tired of being the lead weight. Once and for all, I want to stand on my own, without any help from anyone else. I have the drive and the ambition. Still, I have to admit that this is all very new to me. I may have bitten off more than I can chew."

_Ah, **there** is the apprehension_.

Folding his arm into his chest plate, for lack of a better place to rest it, he leaned back against the nearest tree and seemed lost in thought; Kagome thought he looked rather comfortable, and wondered if he planned to stick around, which would be nice, but... she really couldn't let him. She needed to do this on her own.

"What do you know about survival, miko?"

His question startled her for the second time. She narrowed her eyes momentarily. _Why does he care?  
_

Sesshoumaru himself couldn't believe he was hearing himself ask her all these questions. She was merely a trespasser on his lands, someone to be dealt with as efficiently and quickly as possible, but despite his own personal objections to associating with humans of the adult sort, this one intrigued him. She was so innocent, yet so brave; her powers were raw and inexperienced, yet she plunged ahead anyway, to face what she may with nothing but her bow, arrows, and holy strength. She was certainly remarkable, but he would never tell her that. It did no good to have a human thinking she was in any way important to him.

"Not much, but I've read this book from cover to cover, and I hope it's enough to keep me going."

She held up her nature guide, and he tilted his head. _She could read?_ He'd heard she was from the future, but personally had not believed in such rumours. She dressed strangely, surely, but perhaps she was from another country. He knew the Chinese on the Continent were renowned for their strange traditions and practices.

"I really should learn how to fight, and defend myself, but I didn't have the time or the money to pay for lessons, so I'm hoping my arrows will be enough, when push comes to shove." She thought of encountering Naraku alone and shuddered. She wasn't at all sure she could control her fear should that ever happen.

Sesshoumaru was wondering the same thing. He knew he'd never hear the end of it if Inuyasha ever discovered that he'd been near Kagome and had done nothing to keep her from harm; she was in his lands, after all, and he knew of everyone who set foot in his domain, be it for an hour or a day. It was his duty to patrol and defend his borders, and since she obviously had some destination in mind, he decided that it would be best if he escorted her to it. From there, he would carry on with his own affairs. At least then his stupid brother couldn't accuse him of negligence.

"Lord Sesshoumaru? Where are you?!"

Sesshoumaru mentally cringed as Jaken's high, nasally voice penetrated the relative peace of the forest. A muttered, "Keep up, girl!" could be heard between shouts for his Master.

Kagome lowered her brows. _Who was calling him? Was it the toad and the little girl?  
_

Suddenly, Rin burst through the shrubbery and cried, "Lord Sesshoumaru! There you are! I found him, Master Jaken!" She ran toward him, and before he could even think about moving away, Rin had attached herself to his leg and looked up at him with wide, adoring eyes.

_The adoration of a child for a beloved parent,_ Kagome thought, before a smile bloomed on her lips. _So this was the little girl Sesshoumaru had been fostering?_ She'd have never guessed he had a compassionate side had she not seen the display of affection between child and demon herself. Or, more accurately, of the child _for _the demon. Sesshoumaru merely stood there and took it.

Rin saw her, and smiled shyly, before letting go of her Lord's hakama and approaching cautiously. "What's your name?"

Kagome laughed. "I'm Kagome."

Rin smiled back. "I remember you. You're the candy lady!"

Sesshoumaru snorted. _What an undignified title_. He'd not blame the woman for picking up and leaving, highly insulted, but she only laughed again and replied, "Yes, that's me. You're Rin, right?"

Rin nodded, and sat down close to Kagome's side, as if they were old friends reunited. "That's right, and that's Master Jaken, over there. AhUn didn't come with us, but they're Lord Sesshoumaru's dragon. They like flowers, like me." She picked a nearby daisy and asked, "Do you like flowers, Lady Kagome?"

Kagome wondered if this child was ever unhappy. She didn't know how Sesshoumaru was doing it, but Rin seemed as exuberant as any child could ever be, which was surprising, since two demons were taking care of her, neither of which struck her as particularly outgoing. At all. In fact, Jaken glowered at her as soon as she opened her mouth to reply.

"Yes, Rin, I like flowers."

"May I put one in your hair? It's pretty."

Kagome raised her brows, and looked to Sesshoumaru, but he only moved his shoulders slightly, his way of shrugging. She sighed quietly.

"Sure."

Rin tucked a daisy behind Kagome's ear, and smiled happily at the result. Kagome smiled back, until Sesshoumaru said, "Rin. Go with Jaken and find some breakfast."

Jaken looked up at Sesshoumaru, aghast. "My Lord, you are staying? What have you to do with this pathetic-"

"That's enough, Jaken."

Kagome watched, fascinated, as Jaken hung his head, chastised. Apparently Sesshoumaru's business was to be none of Jaken's today.

"Yes, milord," he replied meekly, and Rin waved goodbye before following him away. Kagome waved back, and stood up herself.

After the imp and the child were gone, Kagome began to rummage through her bag, expecting that Sesshoumaru would follow his vassals and leave her, but when she turned around, he was still there.

"Aren't you going with them?"

"No."

She was puzzled, and, taking her water bottle, pored a little over her toothbrush, smeared toothpaste on it, and jammed it in her mouth. "Why not?"

_Humans are so uncouth_, he thought distastefully as she spoke around the toothbrush, but he replied haughtily, "I will escort you to your destination. The half-breed would never let me hear the end of it if I did not."

Kagome shrugged. "You don't need to go out of your way. Though the thought is appreciated."

He merely stared at her, the matter apparently settled. _Fine_, she thought, spitting out the toothpaste into the grass by the cool fire-pit. _Don't answer me. See if I care_.

When she had adjusted her hair, and seemed to be finished getting ready, he pushed himself off the tree and stood by her side, waiting. He couldn't help but notice her pleasant scent; a mixture of her greasy makeup, something flowery, like lilacs, and mint. The mint was especially refreshing, and when she spoke, the scent grew stronger.

"I'm ready. Lead the way, _Lord_ Sesshoumaru." The way she stressed Lord made him think she was mocking him.

Retaliating in kind, he replied deceptively smoothly, "Did you have a destination in mind, _Lady_ Kagome?"

This earned him an impish smirk, and he found himself admiring her face, despite the dark green and brown smudges that covered it. She looked dirty, but her scent told him otherwise. He covertly breathed deeper while she dug some papers out of her pack and consulted them, briefly. _Her lips pouted in the most adorable fashion when she was miffed_-

_Stop_, he told himself, giving his mind a mental shake. _She is human. End of story_.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to check out this area," she said, showing him the map and gesturing toward the Western seaboard. All within the confines of his territory. He was a little surprised at the accuracy of her map. The maps he had back home in his study were not nearly as detailed.

"Follow," he commanded, taking the lead as she'd asked him to.

She made a face at his shortness, and mumbled, "Follow," in an insolent voice under her breath, while shaking her head in a most unbecoming manner.

"I heard that, miko," he said, and she glowered. _Of course you did. Can you hear my thoughts too, your Highness?  
_

She said nothing but quickened her pace to keep up. _This could be a long trip_, she thought, slightly gloomily.

* * *

Heehee! I think someone's getting under someone else's skin... but who?? Lol, let's face it - they piss each other off - in a not-so-bad way!! You know what they say about relationships that start out this way, lmao!


	4. Chapter 4

Well, I was kinda bored today, and decided to submit another chapter. I forgot how time-consuming and tense it was waiting for people to comment, lol... and, since this part is pretty funny to me, it's a bit longer than usual, so be sure to slap your knees at least once, _kay_??

Deds:

**DemonDog113** - You could NEVER bug me! I _live_ to read reviews! I'm glad you liked it, and hey, I couldn't even wait to submit this chap, so... don't ever think you're a bother, cause you _rock_!!

**helenluvsboo** - Thanks, again!!

**Mystical Hanyou** - Well, consider your limb strong enough to hold you up - for now! Lol, your getting warmer, but I think things might go a bit differently, to everyone's surprise, heehee!

* * *

**Question Existing**

Three hours later they were still walking, and Kagome was beginning to get hungry, and restless. The urge to pee was bad and getting worse, and to top it all off, Sesshoumaru hadn't spoken a single word since they'd started.

_It's like following an iceberg, only he moves slightly faster_.

She remembered suddenly a song from her time, and she soon found it buzzing around inside her head, like a bee in a bottle, just begging to get out. She began to hum.

Making little jumping steps quietly, to tamp down her raging bladder, she began to whisper, "Green Sally up, green Sally down..."

Sesshoumaru could hear everything. She appeared to have some sort of inner torment at first, but suddenly she'd begun humming. It was terribly annoying.

When she started to sing, he drew the line. "We stop here."

"Oh thank Gods," Kagome mumbled and dropped her bag like it was hot, and dashed away into the bushes.

Sesshoumaru allowed himself a small smile at the sound of liquid hitting grass. Her obvious discomfort was small satisfaction compared to the annoying sound of her voice as she sung.

Kagome returned a moment later, looking much better. He raised a brow.

Sitting down near where he leaned, she took out a small yellow bag, crushed it with her hands, and then opened it. Taking out a small packet, she ripped it open and dumped a small amount of yellow powder into the bag, shook it up, then noisily began to eat it.

The scent of meat drifted over to him, and to his embarrassment, his stomach growled. He made a face.

Kagome smiled at him. "Hungry?"

He looked away. "Hardly. Besides, I don't eat what you humans do."

_Well_, she thought, _at least we seem to be giving more than one word answers and commands now_.

"And what, exactly, _do _you eat?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, annoyed. She was becoming a bit too presumptuous for his liking.

Deciding he'd spoken to her enough, he replied stiffly, "None of your business, miko."

She made a face and set down her little baggie to hold up her hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey, don't get your undies in a bunch. I was just curious."

He turned to stare at her as if she had two heads. _Did she think she had some right to know all about him?  
_

Before he could gather his thoughts and remind her of her station, she rushed on. "It's not like you have to get all _emo_ on me, Sesshoumaru. It's not a crime to be nice, you know. And, if I remember correctly, I answered all of _your_ inane questions this morning, and you didn't see me getting all huffy about it."

He jutted out his jaw and tried to keep his expression blank. She was really something else, this woman.

Giving in for the sake of avoiding anymore questions, he replied, "If you feel you _must_ know, I eat raw meat."

She raised her brows without changing her own blank expression. "Tasty." Her tone was sarcastic.

He felt his youki rise. She was _really_ beginning to get under his skin.

Detecting his anger, Kagome offered him a dazzling smile and said, "If it makes you feel any better, Sesshoumaru, I'm not surprised at your choice in entrees. In fact, I'm fine with it. You worry too much about what other people think."

_I also do whatever I please_, he thought, _and right now I'd like to have your head on a plate_. Though his next words totally contradicted his thoughts, he doggedly ignored the fact.

"I have a certain reputation to uphold. I don't keep my land and my title by acting on my impulses. You would be wise to do the same."

She crunched on her lunch and gave him a crooked smile. "Wow. I think that's the longest sentence you've spoken yet. It's much better than the one-word answers earlier."

He glared at her, and she could see why others were afraid of him. Most people would have fainted to be on the receiving end of his wrath, but Kagome was just getting started. She'd met no one like Sesshoumaru before; so reserved, quiet, and cold. He distanced himself from everyone, and seemed to view the world with a detachment that was so unlike a dog demon, or so she thought. Dogs, on the whole, were highly social animals. They tended to congregate in packs in the wild, and when tamed, were very loyal to their masters; in the wild, their loyalty to each other ran deep. Kagome had had a dog once, and he had been the sweetest animal she'd ever owned. He never wanted to be away from her. Which was why she couldn't understand Sesshoumaru's behaviour. He exhibited all the opposite traits that a dog should; obviously he'd cultivated his attitude. Surely no one could be born as emotionally cut-off as he seemed to be?

She went a little further, just to see if he'd blow up. She was reasonably sure he wouldn't kill her, because she could purify him, but he was the most dangerous demon she knew; toying with fire was only the beginning.

"Does it bother you that I am so open about myself, Sesshoumaru?"

He looked back at her, and wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of an answer, but thought better of it. "Does it bother you that I am not?"

She smiled at him, this time in what he was sure she was unaware was a sensual way. "Touche. _Now _you're playing the game."

Finishing her lunch, she stuffed the empty bag into her pack and picked up her strange-looking bow. "If you don't mind, I'm going to practice my archery. Feel free to watch."

He watched her walk away, inwardly flabbergasted at her audacity. He revised his opinion of her. _She is a walking dead woman.  
_

Kagome went a few hundred yards away, picked a target, and loosed one arrow after another, and by the time she was out of arrows, she'd created a smiley face of arrows in the bark of the tree she'd chosen.

"Your marksmanship is much improved," he remarked, right in her ear. She jumped.

"Do you enjoy sneaking up on people?! Because it's rude," she huffed, and he bestowed her with his first smile - ever. She walked away to retrieve her arrows, and he thought lazily, _This Sesshoumaru: One. Kagome: Nothing_.

Kagome gathered her arrows and came back, her mood improved. _So he thought he could play the game, did he? Well, we'll see how you do under a little **more** pressure, your Highness_.

Taking up her position again, she drew the string, then aimed. Before she loosed it, she asked, "Sesshoumaru? You have a very nice smile." The _twang!_ of the string was loud in the quiet clearing, and she turned to smile at him. He only stared at her as if he was attempting to decide whether or not to eat her for dinner.

Upping the ante, she asked, "Do you breath down the neck of every woman you escort?" She was rewarded by the narrowing of his eyes, and to her delight, he leaned closer.

"No. Just you."

Grinning, she slung the bow over her shoulder and flung the quiver of arrows over the other. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked me, Sesshoumaru." Walking past him, she gave him no more of her attention as she scooped up her bag and added it to the load on her back, before speaking without turning around. "Come on, _milord_. Time's a wastin'."

Pouting his lips in a rare show of anger, he considered leaving her to her own devices, but he refused to let her get away with the last word. He was Sesshoumaru, damn it! He would _not_ be verbally bested by a woman, and a human one at that.

Using his demonic speed to catch up, he lifted the small chunk of hair by her ear and whispered, "Lead the way, _Kagome_."

Her name on his lips unexpectedly made her knees buckle, and she almost stumbled as she glared at him over her shoulder. _So, he thought he could use her attraction to him against her, did he?_ She thought she'd been hiding it rather well. Since that fact seemed to be out in the open, she decided that all was fair in love, war, and Sesshoumaru.

Almost appalled that he was being so openly playful, she wondered if he wasn't just the stoic monolith of a man he always appeared to be. Perhaps she was right and that was simply a facade; if, indeed, this was his true nature, it was refreshingly frank. She guessed someone of his rank in life would have to be cold to survive amongst demon society, but perhaps she could relieve him of that. Perhaps he was even pleasant underneath all that ice.

"Miko."

She stopped, and turned around. "Yes?"

His eyes moved to look past her, and she followed his gaze. Through the foliage, about two hundred yards away, a buck with a large rack grazed silently.

"It would appear that opportunity has just presented itself."

She swallowed. "Indeed, it has."

Quietly, she removed two arrows from her quiver, and stuck them in the soft earth at her feet. She knelt on one knee, and nocked the first arrow, aiming carefully.

Sesshoumaru knelt next to her, close, but not quite touching her, and reminded her softly, "Watch the target, miko, lest you miss."

She swallowed, trying to ignore the loud pumping of her blood through her ears at his proximity. She'd never noticed it before, but he smelled very nice, despite the heat of the day and what she was sure was her sweaty stench permeating the air. _Yet another trait inherent to Mr. Perfect_, she thought nastily.

Drawing the string, he watched her fingertips turn white as the blood was forced out of them by the pressure she exerted to hold on. She barely quivered, and let the arrow loose, hitting the deer in its' ribs and sending it dashing away, its' life-force quickly draining from it.

She lowered the bow and smiled to herself. It was going down, and with her first shot! She collected her other arrow and calmly began to track the dying buck.

Sesshoumaru was impressed. He'd thought she'd fold, unable to bring herself to kill another being, even for food, but he had to give her credit. She had more to her than met the eye, definitely.

Kagome finally found the dying buck, lying on its side, its' breathing laboured. It was drowning in its' own blood.

Swiftly, to end the animal's suffering, she picked up a nearby rock and slammed it down on the buck's skull, killing it. Sesshoumaru watched in silence. Slowly, Kagome took out her knife and began the arduous task of dressing the deer.

After a while, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her arm, smearing her makeup and adding a long red streak to her skin.

"You know, you should have some of this. I can't possibly eat it all."

He noted the edge in her voice; he pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against and replied, "It will not be wasted. Others watch us even now, awaiting the right opportunity."

She turned to look at him over her shoulder, and sighed in exasperation. "Would it kill you to accept meat, even though a 'weak human' killed it? Honestly."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, but she didn't see it, having turned around again. Stepping closer, he crouched next to her, and gazed into her soft eyes as she turned them on him. He was surprised to see tears gathering there; apparently she was not as immune as he'd thought she was to the messy task at hand.

"Why do you cry?" he asked, curious. Her eyes sparkled when they were wet.

She sniffed loudly and looked away, the fresh tears making wet tracks down her cheeks with the sudden movement. "I'm not. I just don't like killing things, is all."

Such a sentiment was foreign to him. He'd been killing things for as long as he could remember; most of the time it wasn't even to feed himself, but for the pleasure of it; his position in life was very stressful at times, and killing something always released his tension, relaxed him. If something else was having a worse day than he, he felt much better.

Strangely, though, he had expected no less of Kagome. Her nature was gentle; he had known few females in his life who weren't. His mother had been a gentle woman; she had even cried once when he was small after she'd caught him murdering a butterfly in the garden, and had punished him severely. He'd not understood her anger, but looking back on the incident, in hindsight, seemed to make more sense now. _Was it this same sentimentality that had caused his mother to berate him so harshly about something that, to him, seemed so trivial?  
_

Kagome sniffled again, and he snapped back to the moment. Her hands, covered in slick blood, drying around the edges, trembled slightly as she worked. Her lips pressed together firmly, and her chin jutted forward. She was obviously distressed, and, thinking of his mother, he thought he knew why.

Kagome was surprised when Sesshoumaru's warm hand touched her back, settling there and staying. She looked back at him again, and he did something then that was quite out of his character: he pulled her toward him in a tight embrace and held her closely.

Letting her surprise pass, she gratefully leaned into him and started to cry all over again.

"I _hate_ death," she stuttered through her sobs, "I hate killing. Why does everything have to die?"

Sesshoumaru was unsure if she was asking him specifically or just the world in general, but he replied anyway.

"That is the way of life, miko." He rubbed her back comfortingly. "Death is simply a part of it."

She pressed her face to his shoulder. "But _why_? I don't understand." Shocked at herself, she revealed to him the stem of her miseries. "My father was killed when I was very small. He was young, strong, and healthy, Sesshoumaru, and then one day, just like that, he was crushed under a pile of iron girders. He never even had a chance..." she was sobbing uncontrollably now, and his brow furrowed. She was young, too, and every day was a game of wits against death, but she didn't seem to be worried for her own safety; the safety of those around her seemed to trouble her for a reason he couldn't fathom.

"We cannot control our fate, Kagome." He used her name for the second time, and it felt nice. His stomach flipped over, but he staunchly ignored it. "There is a saying: 'Death smiles at us all; all a man can do, is smile back.'"

Wiping her eyes, she pulled away from him so she could see his face better. "What about _you_? Have you ever 'Smiled at Death'?"

He lowered his gaze to the bloody grass at their feet. "I am very old, Kagome. Old enough to know that death is just another part of life. It's the part that comes afterward."

She looked at his hip. "What about _Tensaiga_? You could save hundreds, Sesshoumaru; yet you don't. How can you not, knowing that you have the power, and need only to make up your mind to use it?"

He brought his gaze back up to hers. _Was she so naive that she thought he, Sesshoumaru, would lower himself to such behaviour? _He loathed his heirloom sword. It had its uses, but mostly it was just that; an heirloom, a reminder. A relic of a man whose emotions had ruled his heart and his mind.

_Yes_, he realised. _She thinks of nothing but the welfare of others. Her nature was that of a loving, caring female_. He stared at her in almost awe. He had never known anyone as compassionate as she, and it almost scared him.

"I use it when I have to. It is not my business nor concern to go around saving everything I come upon. It is undignified."

She frowned, angry. "_Undignified_?! How can you say that? What's undignified is that _you think_ it is undignified! Where's your compassion? Your heart? Don't you feel anything at all for those in need?" Her eyes were growing moist again, and her body trembled in anger. He stared into the soft, wet eyes of the small woman before him and for the first time since the death of his mother felt humiliation. Breaking her gaze, he stood and offered her a hand.

"Go wash in the river. I will finish here."

Kagome took his hand, but still seethed with anger at his seemingly callous attitude towards those in need, but refrained from commenting lest she lose her temper completely.

Wandering away, she looked back, and thought for the second time that she hadn't imagined it; he really _did_ look remorseful.

At the river's edge, she stripped off her outfit and stuck a toe in the water; it was freezing! But she was bloodier than a murder victim, so she sucked it up and jumped in.

The shock of the cold was immediate. It seeped into her skin like needles, forcing her to the surface. Kagome shook out her hair and swam around until the water warmed up. Before long, she was having fun.

Getting out half an hour later, she felt reasonably sure Sesshoumaru wouldn't come to fetch her. _I'm sure such actions are beneath his Highness_, she thought, stretching out on a flat rock with her hands behind her head, to let the sun dry her naked body.

After a while she fell asleep. She dreamed that she was still at the river, and that a noise had frightened her. She turned to see Sesshoumaru in her face, having shed his own clothes and baring his pearl-white skin for her eyes to feast upon.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice husky.

Kagome jolted awake, and an unfamiliar face floated above her, a smirk lifting his lips. She jumped to cover herself and hissed, "Who the hell are _you_?"

The man chuckled as she rushed to cover what he'd already seen, had been admiring, in fact, for the last hour.

Kagome stared at him, hard. He was a demon, for sure; the pointed ears, teeth, and claws told her that much. He looked remarkably like Kouga, only his hair was red and his body much beefier.

"Name's Raidon. What are _you_ doing out here all alone?"

She frowned. He looked like a wolf, and he looked friendly; his handsome smile was doing little to keep her frown on her face. She wasn't dumb enough, though, to trust him yet. If he was anything like Kouga, he was harmless. But, like men, not all demons were alike. His name meant _Thunder God_. _Was that an omen?_ She wondered.

"I'm not alone."

His smile widened. "Don't be afraid. I don't eat humans."

She snorted. "I don't care if you eat porcupines. I'm _not_ afraid."

Now he laughed. "I can smell your fear. It's kinda obvious, but unnecessary. Who are you with, then?"

Kagome pondered the wisdom of telling him her escort was Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West, lest she cause some sort of skirmish. So, she simply replied, "That is my business, and none of your concern. If you are quite finished here...?"

Raidon folded his arms. _The little wench was attempting to get rid of him, was she?_ Her face was a delicious shade of pink, and it was beginning to travel downward toward her chest, which she staunchly kept covered. She was wary, but he couldn't fault her for it. Humans were normally terrified of demons; she herself had likely had an unfavourable encounter or two to solidify her attitude on that subject.

"I won't leave a woman alone to fend for herself. Will I be out of line by making sure you get back to wherever you're from safely?" At that point, like a gentleman, he turned his back on her to allow her to dress in private.

Scooting quickly to do just that, Kagome wondered just what kind of demon she'd run into here. He was more considerate than most men she'd ever met, and she hadn't even told him her name.

When she was sufficiently covered, she replied, "If anything goes wrong..." she let the warning hang.

He turned, both hands up where she could see them. "I promise to be on my best behaviour." He smiled reassuringly, and, unable to help herself, she smiled back.

By the time they reached she and Sesshoumaru's campsite, they were talking like old friends. It turned out Raidon was the leader of a local wolf tribe, and was a professed human devotee, because of every one he'd met, he'd made a friend.

"I just can't do it," he was telling her as they entered the clearing where the fresh deer meat was dressed and the carcass removed, "I just can't eat a being that looks and converses like me. Maybe some other demons can, but not me."

Kagome smiled. "You know, I'm friends with several demons, and they've reformed since I met them, but you, you're the only one I've ever met, besides Inuyasha, whom I liked almost instantly. You're really one of a kind, Raidon!"

He grinned, and she laughed. They stopped, and faced each other. "And you, Kagome, are quite a woman. I can certainly see the priestess in you; your powers are strong. With practice, I suspect that soon you'll be nigh untouchable."

She blushed, and turned away. "You flatter me too much, Raidon." She looked around. "_Now_ where did he get to?"

"Where did who get to? Your companion?"

Kagome nodded. "He was here when I left..."

Raidon wrinkled his nose a bit. "Did your companion by any chance happen to be of the canine persuasion?"

She turned and smiled at him again. "Yes. Why?"

He shook his head, not wanting to alarm her. "No reason. Well, if you'll be alright from here, I'll mosey on."

She reached out to stop him. "Don't be silly. Stay for dinner."

He looked back at her, his heart speeding up. "Are you sure your friend won't mind?"

"Of course not. Besides, you're _my _friend, and _he_ doesn't tell me what to do. I insist."

He shrugged, and gave her a grin. "Why not? I _am_ kinda hungry."

"Good! Because my specialty is cooking over a campfire."

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched the pair with a growing anger he couldn't control, or reason with. He'd gone to fetch her from the river, but when he'd approached, she'd still been swimming, so he had decided to give her more time. On his second trip, and hour later, he'd been about to rush to her rescue when she and her apparent attacker had started to chat like old friends and walk, side by side, back to camp. He'd frowned, and hadn't stopped since.

Now, as he sat watching them from high in a tree, he began to feel what he thought must be jealousy. He hadn't felt such an emotion in several years, but recognising it was slow and embarrassing. _She was human, for Gods' sake! And yet..._ What she'd said earlier had stirred something in him, something soft, and gentle. Something he'd kept hidden for a long time, and now she'd brought it out and awakened it. He indeed felt ashamed for acting without mercy in the past, but he had been trained to do so; in his world, it was kill or be killed. Too often there was no room for the kindness she cared so passionately about.

The demon she'd found, a wolf from the smell of him, seemed innocent enough. He reminded Sesshoumaru uncannily of Kouga, only the red hair setting them apart, and body size. He felt no misgivings about holding his own against the wolf in a fight, should it come down to that.

On the other hand, though, Kagome was only a ward, for the moment. He couldn't afford to let himself think of her as any more than that, lest he lose himself, and everything he'd worked so hard to defend. He knew his allies did not approve of the small girl he cared for; _what would they do if he took on a woman, too?_

Sesshoumaru knew exactly what they would say. They would say he had become weak like his father, and they would take them away from him; _what doesn't kill you makes you stronger_, they'd say, and kill them before his very eyes. He couldn't let that happen.

But his heart wasn't listening to his brain. It had plans of its own.

* * *

Inuyasha sat outside Kaede's hut, sulking. Sango had informed him of news of a jewel shard to the West, and had only just _now_ told him of it. _They had lost so much time!  
_

And Kagome. News of her new plan had thrown him off. _Was she **that** mad at him that she'd risk going off on her own?  
_

After they'd gotten on the road, he was still stewing about it.

"I can't _believe _you let her leave alone, Sango. How could you _do_ that?" He'd been threatening to go after her all day, but Sango had made him promise to leave Kagome alone.

Sango huffed, exasperated, for the tenth time. "I let her go because _I_ believe in her, Inuyasha. Which is more than I can say for you."

His cheeks flamed and he frowned, looking at the dirt passing below.

Miroku remarked, "I think it will be a good lesson for Kagome. She has learned a lot since she came here. It will do her good to test her skill on her own." He was thinking that she'd likely appreciate more the time to herself she'd have, away from them all. Even he could admit that living with your friends day in and day out could be exhausting, in more ways than one.

"What if she gets hurt? What if she's attacked?" Inuyasha fretted, and Miroku patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"What if she's not, Inuyasha? Have faith in her. She'll be fine."

Inuyasha mumbled, "Easy for you to say."

Miroku grinned. He understood perfectly the hidden meaning behind the mumbled remark. His friend was still too pig-headed to admit that he loved Kagome.

Sango added, "Kagome's a priestess in training. She knows how to defend herself, when it comes right down to it."

Inuyasha sighed. "Still."

Shippo looked at Inuyasha from his shoulder, taking in the hanyou's worried face and drooping ears. "She'll be okay, Inuyasha. Honest."

Inuyasha mustered a small smile for the kit, but inside, he was almost out of his mind with worry. The only thing keeping him from breaking his promise to Sango was fear of retribution, but even that was holding him back by a mere thread.

Nervously, he began to masticate his thumbnail.

* * *

**Note: Kagome's song is by Moby from _Gone in Sixty Seconds_, and Sesshoumaru's quote is from _Gladiator_**. Lol, Sessh-pants is gettin' green, heehee! I love tinkering with a character's emotions. Make 'em do whatever they'd never do, hahahaha! (I'm an evil Jim Henson) :D:D:D:D:D


	5. Chapter 5

Heehee, well, I was just editing this monstrosity and guess what - big lemon came up from behind and juiced me right in the _face_!! Damn that tasty lemon!! Anyhoo, be prepared - this is what all our time spent reading some chick's deluded way of letting out her frustrations has led to... the good part! Enjoy now, or I will be _unpleasantly_ unhappy, ya hear??

Deds:

**Nimeway **- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhackhackcoughhack (evil cackle goes downhill) He is _sooo_ jealous he can't see straight, that drunk bastard!! Lol, j/k, he's not drunk - officially. Not on rage-ahol anyway. Thanks for the wonderful compliment, you're precious!!

**DemonDog113** - Yes, I planned it that way, just to keep you pasted to the screen, hahahahahahahahaha_hack_. Thanks!

**Jennie (aka Kitsune's Lover)** - Heehee, I _have_ to make him suffer, it can't all be donuts and sprinkles and rainbows for Sessh-pants!! He has to learn, grow, and, well... learn!! But there's a treat in there too. _WHO'S BEEN A GOOD DOGGIE??_ Oh, and fyi, this story's finished. I'm just posting it in increments to make everyone else suffer too, HAHAHAHAHACKHACK!!

**Mystical Hanyou** - Sigh, unfortunately Sessh-pants won't be ripping off any wolf heads, but he will be ahem "engaged" in other strenuous activities... involving... rivers... and the rocks that line them... ahem Hope this is just as good reading as it was the other day, heeheeheeheehee I'm evil laughing too much. _Makeup!! I need my Jim Henson ensemble!! Where the hell did that little bitch get to, I swear I'm gonna..._

* * *

**Question Existing**

The fire crackled pleasantly as Kagome and Raidon sat before it, waiting for their meat to cook. Kagome was telling him about the time she and Sango had caught Inuyasha and Miroku spying on them at the hot springs, for like, the hundredth time, and he was laughing.

"Honestly, it's like they think they _have_ to spy on us. It's pathetic."

He grinned. "There's nothing wrong with trying to catch a peek or two, Kagome. Couldn't you just have been nice?"

She guffawed, then laughed. "I never thought of it that way. I just don't understand why they can't give us our privacy. We don't spy on them." More quietly, she admitted, "Much."

He pointed at her and exclaimed, "Ah _HA_! So you admit to doing the same thing?"

She blushed. "Maybe... Sango and I just don't get caught."

"Still, you freely admit you spy on them, right?"

She chewed her lip, hesitating. "I _guess_ so."

"Well, then you can hardly fault them for doing the same thing! That would be like the pot calling the kettle black."

She crossed her arms, unable to keep the smile off her face. "So? I don't care if they spy. I just don't want to know about it!"

"Oh, I see. You'd rather remain ignorant, then?"

She tried to kill her smile, but failed miserably. "Yes! I prefer to be blessedly ignorant! Then I wouldn't be embarrassed."

"Ignorance is unbecoming of a lady, Kagome."

The new voice made Kagome look up, and caused Raidon, upon seeing Sesshoumaru, to bow immediately. "My Lord."

Kagome glanced at Raidon, momentarily confused by his behaviour, before smiling brightly and calling, "Sesshoumaru! I thought you'd never come back. Where did you get to?"

He was prepared for this question. However, as Lord of the land, he was above answering it, especially in the presence of an underling. Instead, he ignored it. "Did you find your meal in order?"

She raised a brow at him, for refusing to answer her, but let it slide. "Yes, thank you. Sesshoumaru, do you know Raidon, of the Southern Wolf Tribe?" Raidon was still bowing, having had no instruction to cease. He remained that way until Sesshoumaru acknowledged him.

"Yes, I believe Raidon and I have met once or twice." In fact, he had met Raidon twice, and both encounters had been bad for the wolf, but only because he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sesshoumaru recognised him almost instantly.

Raidon sat up, nodding deferentially to Sesshoumaru, who seated himself gracefully across from them, the fire crackling happily in between.

An awkward silence fell. Kagome determinedly picked up the conversation. "Raidon and I were just talking about spying while we waited for the venison to cook. Would you like some?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head once.

"Fine. I think it's done." Removing the meat from the spit, she laid it on a fresh piece of bark and cut it in half with her knife, and offered the other half to Raidon, who took it gently.

Soon the only sound was the chewing and swallowing of meat, and Sesshoumaru's ominous silence. Raidon, to Kagome, seemed almost uncomfortable, and, when he finished his meal, bowed once again and excused himself.

Before he went, however, he took up Kagome's hand, much at his own risk, for only he could hear the low growls of Sesshoumaru as he did so, and said, "It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Kagome. Hopefully we will meet again someday, under more favourable circumstances."

She smiled, and replied, "Yes, hopefully. Good night, Raidon."

"Goodnight, Kagome. My Lord." He disappeared into the darkness.

Sesshoumaru visibly relaxed after that. Kagome would sneak glances at him every now and then, before finally working up the nerve to ask, "What was _that_ all about?"

He looked at her dully for a moment, before looking away again and replying, "That was a wolf who recognised a superior demon when he met him."

She raised a brow. "Are you always so formal, or rather, uptight?"

He brought his eyes back to her once more, and bore them into her like a laser. "I am not uptight. I am disciplined."

Kagome snorted. At risk of her life, she retorted, "You were wound up tighter than a spring in a pig's ass, Sesshoumaru. A while ago I saw a side of you I never thought existed. What happened to _that _Sesshoumaru?"

He refused to meet her gaze after her angry words, and, hardening his resolve to resist her, replied, "I killed him."

"Humph." She got up to roll out her sleeping bag and crawled into it. "Too bad. I liked _him_ a lot better."

Sesshoumaru frowned at her back as she rolled it away from him. His inner torment was acute. A part of him, a small part, was begging him to release the rigid hold he kept of his discipline and just court the woman, while a bigger, more rational part of him argued that that would only put both of their lives, not to mention their reputations, at stake. She would surely get hurt, or killed, and he would suffer knowing he was the cause. The words of his father came back to him, clear and resonant: "As a leader, Sesshoumaru, one can't really do anything except rule. An iron fist is what they expect from you; any less, and they'll dethrone you. It is not for a ruler to want, or love, my son. They'll expect an heir from you, not from a woman you love, but a woman they've chosen for you, someone you won't even know until after you're already married. If you deviate in any way from the royal protocol, your peers will take you for weak, and they will eat you alive. There is no middle ground. It is kill... or be killed."

He wondered if his father had recalled this speech when he'd fallen in love with the human hime, Inuyasha's mother. _Was it in his nature to seek the companionship of a human? Was he fooling himself, thinking he could evade a natural inclination?_ Dogs were a highly sociable animal, he knew. And these past years _had_ been lonely. Depressingly so.

The fire died slowly before his eyes without Sesshoumaru even seeing it. His thoughts were jumbled and mixed up; he didn't know anymore what he wanted, what his purpose was. In almost every sense of the word, he was lost.

* * *

The night passed uneventfully. Kagome awoke slowly, rolling over and stretching lazily like a cat. Opening her eyes, she was almost relieved to see Sesshoumaru nowhere in sight.

Getting up, she gathered up a bar of soap and her shampoo before stripping down and wrapping herself in a towel, on her way back to the river to wash before they left. It occurred to her that Sesshoumaru had abandoned her completely; it would serve her right, she supposed, after the harsh way she'd berated him last night. She frowned to herself. He'd been so kind to her, in those moments, when they were alone...

She snapped her head up. Sesshoumaru had been kind to her, alright. He'd been downright flirty, up until Raidon had come into the picture. She knew it was a presumptuous thought, but... _was he jealous?_ She wondered what exactly was going on behind those luminous eyes of his.

She came to the bend in the path through the brambles and had her first clear view of the river - and its lone occupant.

Sesshoumaru waded out of the water, giving her a view she'd only ever fantasised about. His skin, pearl-white, gleamed in the rising sun, gilding him a sort of reddish-gold. His hair hung limp and heavy, but shimmered like mercury. She barely noticed his missing arm as he took one clawed hand and dragged it through his hair to pull the wet, clingy strands of silk off his face.

She held her breath; if he heard her, she didn't know what he'd do. It almost killed her, but she managed to tear her gaze away and back down the path without making any noise.

Sesshoumaru, of course, had known she was there, and in a moment of manly pride, had made no effort to hide himself from her gaze. He would pretend he was oblivious, if only to save her the embarrassment, but he had nothing to hide, and was not ashamed of his body. Others' opinions of his appearance had always been of little consequence to him. However, he suddenly felt the need to have her approval, much to his growing annoyance.

His resolve to keep her out from under his skin was already crumbling. He dressed slowly, and with difficulty, but finally managed the task and made his way back to camp.

Upon his return he found Kagome, still ready, but refusing to meet his gaze, instead pretending to study her maps. She finally looked up at him and said, "Oh, you're back. My turn!" and dashed away before he could reply.

Kagome couldn't stop the red stain that crept up her throat as she recalled the image of Sesshoumaru in the river to mind. He was... beautiful, for lack of a better word. His muscles, perfectly formed, gathered and bunched under taut skin, and his... well, she giggled, turning even redder, even _that _part was well-formed, despite the coolness of the water. She was a little intimidated as she wondered what he must look like when he was really wound up!

Entering the water, she was almost grateful for the cold. It helped cool off her hot-blooded thoughts. She lathered shampoo in her hair and leaned backward to wash it out when a strange sight captured her attention.

At first, it made no sense at all, because it was upside down. But the more she looked at it, the more sense it made, though it's purpose there eluded her.

On the shore, sitting on a rock in nothing once more, dangling his foot in the water, was Sesshoumaru. His face was blank, but soft. There was no trace of the anger and cold stone she'd seen last night.

_That was fast_.

She wondered what he had in mind. A part of her was excited, while the other was afraid. _What was he planning?  
_

Sesshoumaru had made the split-second decision to rendezvous at the river again on an impulse, and he was not disappointed. Kagome had the curves of a woman, and she was clearly cold; the thought of warming her up was more appealing than he wanted to admit. She continued to stare at him, her soapy hair half-submerged in the dark water. He stared back at her, his lip lifting in a small smile.

Kagome saw it, and returned it. Adjusting her position, and being bolder than she felt, she faced him, hiding naught but her most intimate part beneath the water. He stared at her hungrily, and she let him.

For a long time, neither of them moved. Her heart began to beat faster as more time passed; his slowed down in anticipation, his blood all gone to parts well-known.

Kagome was no longer curious about Sesshoumaru's reaction to a naked woman - he was just as impressive as she'd imagined. Her own self-consciousness reared its head the longer she admired him, and she finally tore her gaze away. A moment passed. When she looked up, he was gone again.

She frowned. _What was **that **all about?_ Her disappointment was a surprise to her. _Just what had she been expecting?  
_

A hand on her shoulder made her start, but the familiar sight of ghost-white skin reassured her of the identity of the demon behind her. Lifting a strand of her still bubbly hair, he drew in the scent slowly. Kagome remained still, her heart whamming like a trip-hammer on an anvil.

Sesshoumaru slowly turned her, and tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. Her scent was laced with excitement, but there was a hint of fear there; nervousness and anxiety were also prevalent. Gently, he gripped her, and bent her backward, toward the moving water. _When did you get so completely under my skin, miko?_ His thoughts were fuzzy.

Kagome let him dip her in, washing away the remnants of her shampoo. Bringing her back up, he skimmed his hand delicately over her cheek before drawing her close to his chest, running his fingers down her spine, then grazing it once more when they came back to thread themselves through her wet hair.

Sesshoumaru smelled her nervousness spike when he firmly knotted his claws in her hair, holding her fast. There was no turning back now.

She looked up at him, and, on a whim, decided to trust him. Sliding her arms up, she wound them around his neck and pressed her chest flush to his, their nipples brushing each other. A bolt of pure desire knifed through her at the intimate contact, setting her skin afire.

His desire was just as great. Leaning in, he slid his tongue out to slide between her lips, which yielded easily, and drew his tongue over hers, slowly, with finesse.

Kagome felt light-headed with lust. Suddenly, she wrapped her tongue around his and they battled fervently, tasting each other with appreciation, until Kagome wrapped her legs around his waist in an effort to be as close to him as she could, her blood pumping wildly through her veins.

He felt the molten heat of her pressed against his thigh, and Sesshoumaru could stand their teasing no more; gently he disentangled his fingers from her hair and carried her back to the rock he'd previously occupied, and set her at waist-level upon it.

Leaning back on her arms, Kagome, for the second time, bared herself for his perusal. He eyed her eagerly, her wanton pose cooking his blood. She smiled, and looked up at him from under hooded eyes, her foot sliding slowly up and down the back of his hard thigh. His own eyes were undulating with a gentle, hazy look to them.

_**There's** the sensitive Sesshoumaru_, she thought, languidly.

Lifting her hand to his lips, he lightly sniffed her nails, snaking his tongue out to taste them. Gently he bathed her fingers, one by one, making his way up her wrist to her inner elbow, worrying the pulse point there, then moved on to her shoulder, nibbling the skin, perusing a hot path to her neck, which still smelled faintly of an oft-used perfume.

Kagome let him traverse her skin, the light, butterfly touch of his lips barely registering, yet tickling deliciously at the same moment. It was obvious he'd done this before; she imagined someone as old as Sesshoumaru would have at least _some_ experience under his belt, but he seemed to sense that this was her first time and was taking it slow. She knew he was never so solicitous in other aspects of his life - sure, he could cut off some demon's head and make it look like an ornate dance, but she doubted that he planned it that way, specifically. Things just panned out for him that way. Now, though... she could see in his eyes how hard he was restraining himself with her. She ached to tell him to let go, to just let the beast out, but did not. She feared he might go too far, be too rough. She didn't want to have to purify him for getting too lusty.

Making his way from her neck to her mouth, he once again monopolised her lips and tongue into duelling his own, all the while he leaned her back, settling between her parted legs as if he'd always belonged there. He watched her close her eyes in delight as he traced her jaw with his tongue and planted butterfly kisses on her eyelashes. He was beginning to wonder what had happened to all his self-control. _Had she bewitched him?_ If she had, he didn't care. For the moment, he was going to let down his guard. For this short time, he was going to do what _he_ wanted to do.

Kagome skimmed his ribs, his lean hips, and then ducked her fingers under, brushing hard, silken skin. His face never changed, but his steady pulse missed a beat.

Sesshoumaru held himself over her with his only arm, noting with a kind of absurd pride that the stump of his missing limb seemed not to perturb her.

Kagome brushed her fingers down his solid length, a blush staining her cheeks as she felt his hand cover hers, and guide it over his skin, over and over again until he stood proud and hard above her, ready.

Withdrawing her hand, she laid it behind her head as Sesshoumaru, balancing on his right hand, eased himself back off the rock and settled his face at the apex of her thighs, and took a deep draw of air through his nose, simply enjoying her warm scent. She was moist, but he would soon make her sparkle with her lust.

With a gentle claw, he edged her folds apart, revealing her hidden secret, a quivering bump of flesh that glistened a light pink before his hot gaze. He snaked out his tongue, and lapped at her. Kagome gasped quietly, and he smiled up at her, the first true smile she'd ever seen him give. It was so unexpected she grinned back, momentarily, before he picked up his pace, lapping at her feverishly.

Kagome was a healthy girl, and had experienced sexual pleasure at her own hand, but what he was doing to her now seemed to make her own efforts pale in comparison. He was skilled, indeed; as innocent as she was, even she could tell he possessed quite a clever tongue.

Soon she was squirming, and she had slickened thoroughly at his intimate insistence. As she climbed her third peak, after he kept easing off, he abruptly ceased his ministrations and was above her again, his lips crushing hers, the taste of her own musk thick on his lips.

He positioned himself, and before she could regain any equilibrium after his passionate ministrations (she was reminded of how passion_less_ she'd thought he was; she was _so _wrong), he thrust himself into her, slowly at first, gaining entrance, for she was unused, and pushed until he came up against her barrier.

Kagome tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of being fuller than what seemed possible; it wasn't exactly painful, just different. And tight. Fleetingly she hoped he wouldn't get stuck, then giggled inwardly at the thought.

When he was in as far as he could go, Sesshoumaru knotted his fist in her hair and whispered in her ear, "Ready?"

She hummed an affirmative, trying to encourage him by sucking his bottom lip, and at that moment he thrusted - hard.

Kagome released his mouth to gasp. The pain was sharp and intense. Pain radiated outward in waves of sensation, but quickly ebbed away as he waited, unmoving.

After a moment, the pain receded, not completely, but Kagome opened her eyes, a single tear slipping out before she asked, "Are _you_ ready?"

Sesshoumaru had to laugh at the almost-cocky grin on her face, and admired her spunk. Chuckling deeply, he began to move in response, and, soon enough, she learned to move too, finding her rhythm pushing against him as he thrust forward.

As a rule, in his past Sesshoumaru had not kissed a woman he'd rutted with; it was so personal an act and he'd not wanted any strings attached to him, but in Kagome's case he made an exception. It just seemed right to occupy her mouth while she allowed him the pleasure of her body - as inexperienced as it was - but deeper down, he just didn't want their time together to be impersonal. It seemed imperative that he not treat her as he had others; in some small way, he feared he was falling in love with his brother's miko.

Kagome was in heaven. She never imagined that sex could feel this good; she and her friends had discussed it often enough, and none of them, she now realised, had had any idea. Even she and Sango had spoken at length about it, each wondering what it would be like. She smiled inside; she knew now, and it was wonderful.

He moved against her, faster and faster, and her earlier pain blossomed into pleasure as her muscles contracted helplessly around him, urging him on. Kagome reached her climax first. Cascading down the silver-lined mountain of satisfaction, she shuddered under the intensity of it; sensation shattering out from her very core, settling in waves until it eased off.

Sesshoumaru was a little behind her, his satisfaction, born of years and years of experience, taking a bit longer. He had thought briefly of holding himself back, but found this one time he was unable; spilling a torrent of his seed inside her, he too shuddered, his good arm trembling just a bit as he struggled to prevent himself from crushing her in his exhaustion.

After a short while, both recovered, tangled still in each other's limbs. Sesshoumaru slowly withdrew from her, and kissed away the sweat beaded on her brow.

Kagome smiled up into his golden eyes, liquid like sunset, the sun beating down on them, giving him a kind of halo about his silver head, two silky chunks falling over his shoulders; her eyes flew open.

He hovered over her again, drinking in her satisfied expression, when her eyes widened, as if she were suddenly afraid. "Kagome?" he murmured, puzzled.

She pushed up on him, knocking him aside, and sat up, trying in vain to cover what he'd already seen. "Oh my Gods," she breathed, her breath coming in pants. "I forgot all about Inuyasha!"

Sesshoumaru frowned. _Honestly, who gave a damn about Inuyasha!? Especially now!?  
_

He reached out to touch her, and she shied away from him, and it hurt him more than he wished to admit. Her opinion of him shouldn't matter. But infuriatingly, it did. He loathed the thought of her fearing or even being ashamed of him. He narrowed his eyes. _She was only human... nothing to get worked up over_.

_But you **are **worked up_, his inner voice whispered, and it only infuriated him more to have to agree. _He was Sesshoumaru, damnit! Human women **did not** affect him!  
_

She seemed distracted, and talked rapidly to herself: "He's going to kill me, oh no... What will I tell him? Shit... shit, shit! Now what?"

She turned to seek reassurance from Sesshoumaru, then mentally smacked herself on the forehead for even having that thought. He was a Taiyoukai, for heaven.s sake. She was sure_ his Highness_ would find such action beneath him, but he was no longer there. She immediately felt bad for thinking that. Distressed, she called, "Sesshoumaru?"

Receiving no answer, she quickly washed herself off, gathered up her things, and ran back to camp, finding him dressed, his back turned to her. He did not greet her upon her return.

It saddened her that the sweet, gentle demon from moments before was gone. She only hoped she hadn't seen the last of him.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry if I-"

"Think naught of it," he cut in, as nonchalantly as he could manage. "A simple roll in the hay is not at all uncommon for two people." He stopped there, almost saying, _As attracted to each other as we are_, but deciding against it. Now was not the time to comfort her. He felt used. He'd never felt this way, and he hated it. He hated knowing that he'd almost let himself love a human, and now he took out his anger on the very person he'd so briefly been close to.

Kagome felt her lips tremble. _A simple roll in the hay, hmm? Was that how he thought of her? An easy fuck??  
_

She dropped where she sat, and tried not to cry. Looking away from him, she reminded herself that they were two very different people, and that she really had no right to think that he might have feelings for her, but... still, just the thought that their encounter meant nothing to him stung like iodine on a fresh cut. He sure knew how to cut to the quick. She guessed he'd had a lot of experience in that, as well. He was, after all, the Prince of Ice.

Sesshoumaru felt what was probably regret knifing through his heart, but it burned him that the girl would discard him so quickly because of Inuyasha. Just the thought of his brother laying with her now boiled his blood, but he would never admit it. She was a human; she wasn't worth the air she breathed, yet the fact that she thought of another while laying with him cut more deeply than the sharpest sword ever could. He was glad suddenly that he'd caught himself before he could become besotted with the woman.

Glancing back at her, his anger renewed, he saw her small form tucked into itself, turned away. After today, they would walk faster to reach her destination. The quicker he was rid of her, the better.

Kagome closed her eyes in a mixture of anger, regret, and resentment when he gritted, "Tomorrow we dawdle no more. We will reach your destination before nightfall even if I have to carry you there myself."

She sniffled, giving away her pain, but she no longer cared. Inuyasha had been right: Sesshoumaru really _was_ a cold-hearted bastard.

"Fine," she hissed, wiping her nose on her sleeve, uncaring how disgusting that was. Unrolling her sleeping bag, she crawled inside, even though it was only mid-afternoon; the sun was not long past its zenith. She turned her back on him and cried quietly to herself, trying to forget all his pretty words, the way his hand felt on her body, and the wonderful sensations he'd elicited from her. She made up her mind that Sesshoumaru was a cruel man before giving in to her pounding headache and allowing sleep to envelop her.

Sesshoumaru leaned against his tree, watching her. He was torn in two over her; half of him wanted to do the unthinkable and comfort her, forgive her for her sin, yet the other half adamantly refused to be consoled. There was nothing more insulting than to be compared, nay, _forgotten_, for that bastard half-breed brother of his, and he resented her deeply for it.

Yet he still felt that tiny voice in his mind crying out to be heard, but he squashed it in his anger. He would _not _be used; he was Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Domain, and he would remind her of her place.

And it wasn't easy to forget that he'd forgotten his, either. His father had been right: he _couldn't_ do what he wanted.

This had been a hard lesson, one he wouldn't allow himself to forget again.

* * *

Well, I guess the smooth pavement has given way to gravel, Sessh-pants!! So hopefully that wasn't a horribly cliched river sex-scene that you've read a million times before (honestly, in Feudal Japan, there are only _so_ many places to get down!) and was, in fact, a little enjoyable. I can only hope, I guess. Right??


	6. Chapter 6

Well, that lemon was... juicy, lol. This is the second last chap, my friends, so I hope you've enjoyed yourselves so far. I am busily trying to keep the idea machine running smooth, and hopefully (god forbid) nothing gets in there and jams up the works, lol.

Deds:

**Mystical Hanyou** - hehe, you will eventually find out why she did that (i think its this chap), and nope, she doesn't go to Raidon, lol, tho I'm sure that would have been interesting, to say the least! Thanks again for your faithful reviews and wonderful guesses and comments!

**Nimeway **- I'm floating in your river of tears over the abrupt end to the sex scene back there, lol, and was just lucky enuf to catch a yacht, and Sessh-pants is the Captain! OOh, don't you wish you were on that boat now, hahah!

**Jennie** - Yup, it's almost over, and yep, its all about the drama!! Btw, don't run into anything eh? I don't want to find you in a heap in front of a hydro pole somewhere... or a tree, even worse, yeow... lol!

* * *

**Question Existing**

The same night, Sango, leading the way, announced to the others, "Alright, we stop here for the night. Miroku, would you start the fire, please?"

Nodding his consent, the monk hunkered down to dig a small pit, loosening the earth with the tip of his sacred staff, then lifting the dirt away with his hands. Shippo dragged him up some dry sticks, and together, they lit the fire with a live ember Miroku carried in a thick container made of cattle bone.

Inuyasha, still worried about Kagome, his eyes slightly bloodshot from thinking of nothing else so hard, jumped visibly when Kirara brushed up against him, offering him comfort with her large shoulder.

Relaxing, he let the fire-cat distract him as she purred, his claws finding the sweet spot behind her ears. She rumbled away as he scratched, and after a while, the two fell asleep, Inuyasha's head resting on Kirara's furry stomach, her tails keeping the wind off them both.

Sango smiled. It was not unusual for her beloved companion and Inuyasha to sleep curled up together. She thought cats and dogs hated each other, but Kirara and Inuyasha seemed to get along great. Maybe cats hating dogs, and vice versa, _was_ just an old superstition.

Miroku glanced furtively at Sango out of the corner of his eye, the snoring kitsune on his knee giving him the privacy he longed for. So rarely were he and Sango ever _truly_ alone... of course, he was likely to blame for that. Him and his cursed hand, that is.

Sango sighed, leaning back on her hands and stretching out her legs. _The night sky really is beautiful when you take the time to appreciate it_, she thought, drinking in the silent, yet cooling night air.

"Sango?"

She looked at Miroku. His voice startled her; it was so deep, mellow - velvet. She hated to admit it, but it caused shivers to tremble down her spine, and a heat pooled in her lower abdomen that she could only explain as lust, which shamed her. _Why was her body always betraying her feelings?  
_

"Yes, Miroku?" She tried to avoid his eyes, but could not.

He didn't say anything for a moment, too busy was he admiring the soft curves of her jaw against the firelight, shadows dancing here and there over her smooth skin. He longed to run his fingers along her jaw and tilt it up, so he might taste her lips, taking fully what she had to offer him.

Finally he replied, "Do you think Kagome's alright?"

Sango blinked, suddenly more ashamed than ever. _How could she be thinking of Miroku like this when poor Kagome was out there all by herself?  
_

At first Sango was confident that Kagome would be just fine, but as the day wore on, and Inuyasha grew more and more anxious, it began to rub off on her, and she was angry at herself for forgetting her friend for even a moment. Miroku could wait; Kagome was what required her attention right now.

"Honestly... I don't know. I was so sure a few days ago... but now-"

"Now you're not so sure?"

She nodded, pulling her knees up to rest her chin there, the romantic mood between them gone. He sighed inwardly. He hadn't even touched her yet, and already the mood had soured. _Damn it_.

"No, I'm not." She began to play with a frayed hem of her kimono. "I worry about her, as much as I wish I didn't. Kagome's earned our trust in her abilities; I just can't seem to help worrying, though. Inuyasha, too. We haven't heard anything, but..." she trailed off, and he knew what she was implying. Just because they hadn't heard anything, didn't mean nothing was happening.

Rubbing her shoulder slowly, comfortingly, he replied, "Kagome has earned our trust, Sango. But only a true friend would worry, nonetheless."

She turned her head so her temple rested where her chin had been, and smiled a little. "You always know just what to say, Miroku."

He smiled back. "It is my duty to know what to say, my dear Sango. Get some sleep." He rolled out her blanket, a decent distance away from his own. "Before long, hopefully we'll receive word that Kagome has found a shard. Inuyasha won't act happy about that, but he will be glad she is safe. And you will have your comfort in the knowledge, too."

Sango lay back, her head on her hands. "I hope so."

The fire crackled, and the crickets were quiet as they drifted off, Miroku finding sleep last. He, too, was more worried about Kagome than he would admit. She was such an important part of their group... if Inuyasha didn't apologise and get her back, he feared their group would forever be split in two, for Sango would surely join Kagome, should it ever come to that. And, grudgingly, he knew he would follow her, even though Inuyasha was his good friend. The thought kept him up most of the night.

* * *

The following morning, when Kagome awoke, the sky was overcast and Sesshoumaru was gone. Inwardly grateful for his absence, she gathered up her things, her tears mingling with the drizzle that started falling shortly after she returned from the river. She had stood and stared at the rock, _their_ rock, and wished very hard that Sesshoumaru had not reminded her of Inuyasha in that instant. She knew that was why he was angry, and, thinking on it long and hard before dragging herself out of her sleeping bag, knew that this was all her fault. She just didn't know why she felt the way she did, especially about someone whose pleasant side she had so recently gotten to know.

Kagome had always considered herself a one-man-woman. All her life she had never yearned for two men the way she did right now, not that Inuyasha had her kind thoughts lately, but he had his good moments, his high points. He might have been cocky, arrogant, and occasionally cruel, but she kept forgetting that that was all he'd known growing up, and it was hard to change what you'd always known, especially yourself. He'd come a long way, too, since she'd first met him. His attitude had improved greatly, and his disregard for others was almost non-existent, but he wasn't cured yet. He still had a long way to go before he could live and function as a normal person.

Gathering up her things, Kagome set out on her own, the light rain having put out the fire long before. She doubted Sesshoumaru had abandoned her here, but for both their sakes, she knew it was best if she carried on alone. It was nice of him to offer his protection, but really, she didn't need it. By now, she knew to expect the unexpected, never to trust strangers, and to always be on her guard.

So, it was to her chagrin that, twenty minutes later, she ran into a bear demon who just happened to be looking for a tasty breakfast, and had apparently decided that she would do nicely.

Sesshoumaru heard her heartbeat increase from several miles away, but refused to check on her. His pride, much less controllable than he liked, was adamant that it wanted nothing more to do with her. But his heart yearned to see in her eyes the look he'd seen yesterday, the look she wore when totally overcome by emotion - for him.

Kagome dispatched the demon quickly, purifying it to ashes with one shot. Her smile, though short-lived, was of pride.

After several hours of walking, map consulting, and more rain, she reached the village where the strong pull of a jewel shard became prevalent. Lowering her head, and tightening the sash she'd brought in case of rain around her head, she entered the village, and waited.

* * *

Inuyasha, his nose to the ground, his rear in the air in the position Sango found so comical, muttered angrily, "She came this way! But..." he sniffed harder, in vain, "I can't tell if she was alone or not..." His ears drooped.

Sango hid her smile lest Inuyasha see it and boil over. His anxiety was at an all-time high; she was sure he'd have a coronary if he strung himself out any more. And she was positive he was regretting his earlier words now.

Miroku fiddled with the string on his hat that kept the rain off his head and shoulders, finally ripping it off in exasperation. The stupid thing hadn't been right since day one.

Sango took it from him, her patience with it gone, and, quickly taking the string out, threw it away. She replaced it with an extra string she used to tie her things together, and re-threaded the hat.

Miroku took it from her when she finished, his gaze grateful. "Thank you, Sango." His hand lingered over hers a moment too long and her face flushed red, and she pulled it away, tearing her gaze from his velvet-blue eyes.

"Don't mention it." She sniffed, straightened, and walked ahead, realising that Inuyasha had left them behind again.

Miroku tied on the hat and smiled to himself. She might never admit it, but he affected her, and she liked it. All he had to do now was convince her of what she refused to see.

Inuyasha pounded his fist on the ground angrily. Her tracks were disappearing in the rain before his eyes, taking her scent with it. He'd never give up, but her scent was lost to him now. The rain had covered her tracks, indefinitely. It seemed that she'd gotten what she wanted: solitude.

His dreams these past few nights had been filled with terror: the innate fear he had that if anything happened to her, it was his fault, his doing, his negligence. It was his job to protect her, and he'd alienated her into leaving him and striking out on her own. _But who was going to watch her back? Who was going to keep her company? Who was going to keep her warm, dry her when she got wet, find her decent shelter?  
_

Even now he worried about how she was faring in this drizzle. _Was she sick, or worse?_ And she was so alone... Inuyasha had to admit that he'd finally found someone he loved so much, it was impossible for him to express adequately. His emotions for her overwhelmed him in a way that bordered on obsessive, but he couldn't help himself. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he kicked himself for letting her leave him alone, where she could be accosted by anyone... even Naraku, himself.

That thought froze the blood in his veins where it flowed. _Naraku, their bitterest enemy... what would he do with Kagome, alone and unarmed?  
_

Physically, he knew she could handle her bow with ease, but he'd seen her disarmed so many times before, with almost no effort on her opponent's part. She just wasn't safe without him, and his fear for her almost paralysed him.

_Kagome, how could I have said all those terrible things to you? Where** are** you?  
_

Moody, anxious, and depressed, he led Sango and Miroku to an overhanging tree to shield them from the worst of the moisture. Until the rain let up, the trail was lost to him.

Fervently, he hoped that Kagome was not.

* * *

Wow, mushy. I'm drowning in the mush. Anyway, I got fanart to colour, my eyes are very dry from my bikeride, and my butt hurts. So, later, dudettes!! P.S. My fanart is located at http / / sessinsunglasses. deviantart. com/ if anyone's interested. Strictly Inuyasha, lol, and I really hate drawing anyone wearing _too_ much clothing, lol! Grr, there's a colon in there, but you get the idea, stupid link!!


	7. Conclusion

Well, this is it my friends, the last lap. It was nice hearing from yous again, and hopefully, i will again soon! Thanks again for all the great reviews, the reliable comments, and the encouragement most of all. Without you, I couldn't be me, lol, so group hug!! And thanks again, I appreciate you all!!

Deds:

**Nimeway** - Feed your curiosity! The end is here!! Thanks!!

**DemonDog113** - That's right, mush must be dealt with. So deal with this, eh?? Lol, thanks!!

**Mystical Hanyou** - (gasp) _SHARE_?? _Never_!! Hahaha, I'm thoroughly surprised this time, tho you are warm when you suggest Inu and Kags make up, lol, but I believe he doesn't find her till _after_ the fact, haha, but still. You and your guesses! Thanks for much entertainment!!

_Author's Note_: I just wanna thank everyone again - I'm so grateful to have friends like you guys, always willing to say a kind word, or be wonderfully demanding, and making it seem that you'd die if I dIdn't update (heaven forbid!), but these are all the hallmarks of great friends. I can't thank you enough, so this story goes out to all my fans. Thank you so much, I love you all!!

* * *

**Question Existing - Conclusion**

Sesshoumaru strode through his castle gates, trying to convince himself that he'd done the right thing by letting Kagome go her own way. She was still in his territory, but he tried to forget her presence there; it was easier said than done, though.

His hair was sopping wet, as was everything else, even the two guards on duty were soaked through. They tipped their helmets to him as he passed, his gaze indecipherable.

He stopped at the ornate wood doors to his family home and heaved a great sigh. As much as he hated himself, his honour would not let him abandon her, not after their close encounter. He couldn't deny that he'd felt something for her... and she for him.

Sesshoumaru knew, in the back of his mind, that someday, he'd give in to the impulse to desire human companionship; his ward, Rin, was what he liked to think of as a small concession in that direction, nothing huge, and certainly nothing that might develop into something more later. What he felt for her was something that was almost indescribable; before her, his days had begun to bleed into each other, and nothing of real merit stood out to remember them by. But she found the small things in life to be the most exhilarating, and was almost never without her smile. Before him, her life had been difficult; now, it was remarkably easy, as it should have been, had her family survived the circumstances that had befallen them. As the lone survivor, Rin had been destined to plod away at life alone, a burden to her village, until he came along, that is.

Jaken, too, was company, though his and Sesshoumaru's relationship was strictly professional. He lived in Sesshoumaru's home, and was, in effect, his butler, valet, and representative, yet they shared no companionable warmth between them. At least, not on Sesshoumaru's part anyway.

He realised with alacrity that up until now, despite his various encounters with others of the female persuasion, Kagome had been his first human. And, in sharing himself with her, he'd given her a piece of himself; a piece, now that it was missing, seemed like a gaping hole inside, jagged and torn. It was akin to the feeling he'd fought so hard to hide the day he saw his father for the last time, and before that, while his mother lay on her deathbed, pale as the moon and wasted away to nothing, weighing barely more than Rin did now. The feeling that something that he was powerless to prevent was taking away from him everything he had held dear was haunting him again, only this time, he could change the circumstances, he could go after her, and see where his life went from there.

But could Sesshoumaru willingly give into the impulse he'd fought for so long, the impulse the he only pretended offended him? For so long he'd convinced himself that a human woman had been his father's downfall, that, because of her, he had died. It dawned on him that, even if his father had succumbed to mortality in order to defend his human lover and her child, he had been happy. Sesshoumaru could not remember his father ever having been happier than when he was with Izayoi, and, in a way, deep down inside, Sesshoumaru had envied his father his happiness. He resented Inu Taisho at first, because he felt that by falling in love with someone else, his father was dishonouring his mother's memory, when really, he was not. He had mourned Sesshoumaru's mother for an entire century, abstaining from all temptations and trying to forget the pain her death had left him with. But Sesshoumaru, in his belligerent youth, had conveniently overlooked those facts. He'd believed what he'd wanted to believe, because he had wanted to hurt his father; he'd wanted his father to hurt the way _he_ still did.

Sesshoumaru's mother had been the major stress-reliever in his life. She was not the most beautiful of women, but when she smiled, she could light up an entire room. Other demons flocked to her side, and hung on her every word. Animals, especially birds, were drawn to her calm, serene nature, and she was often to be found in the extensive herb gardens, feeding and singing to the birds that gathered round her. Everyone said he shared a resemblance to his father - he was definitely Inu Taisho's son - but in all truth, he carried the look of his mother. Despite his delicate fingers, silky hair, and fine features, he was as hard and ruthless as his father ever was, and, in more vulnerable, peaceful times, was just as passionate. He may have appeared feminine in his own way, but it was not feminine enough to discourage female attention. He was aware that his looks were exceptional, but they didn't really matter to him. His looks would not win him a battle, nor get him through negotiations for expanding his empire; he was more than his looks, and he prided his intellect much more than his beauty. If he were to be seriously injured, as he had been when Inuyasha had severed his left arm above the elbow, how the wound healed was of no consequence, as long as his arm was functional again after regeneration. Whether or not there were scars meant little. Superficiality didn't matter; _reality_ did.

Turning about with a resolve he almost wished he didn't feel, he left his home, even though he'd just gotten there. The guards flashed each other a curious glance, but at their Master's discretion, refrained from mentioning it. They watched him disappear around the bend, his pace a little faster than normal, before breaking out in curious whispers.

* * *

Kagome spent her first night in an inn on the outskirts of the town. Several men came by in the evening to drink and talk, some playing a competitive game of go, but she kept to herself, listening to the idle chatter, for anything that might indicate the whereabouts of the Jewel shard.

She had changed out of her camouflage and into a pair of deep green hakama, similar to her priestess clothes, but less recognizable. She kept her short hair under wraps; she could easily be mistaken as a man should anyone see its length. Kagome knew she could easily track the shard and take it from whoever had it, but she needed to be cautious. Too many times in the past she had rushed into these situations, always assuming the best of people and forever proving herself wrong. She would not be hasty this time, not when she was alone.

A young woman came around to pour drinks, and Kagome waved away her offer of sake; she didn't have enough money to be frittering it away on alcohol. Instead, she smiled lightly and asked quietly, "I'm new here, but I've heard talk that a shard of the Shikon jewel was in this village, and I've always wanted to see one. Have you heard anything about it?"

The serving girl smiled back and replied conversationally, "Oh yeah, I've heard all about it. I even caught a glimpse of it a few days ago. A boy brought it back from a neighbouring village where he said he defeated a demon and found the shard in its ashes. He's very proud of it."

Kagome nodded sagely, her interest piqued. _A prize, was it?_ She was thinking that she might have to fib a bit to get it away from the boy, who, from the girl's description, sounded very supercilious, and unlikely to let her really see it. _Hmmm... _

She grinned at the girl, and replied, "Then I guess I'll have to ask for a peek."

The girl lifted a brow and gave her a look. "Good luck. Koichi's very possessive of it. I was lucky to get a glimpse, and that was only because he didn't know I was looking over his shoulder."

Kagome rolled her eyes and guffawed. "He's one of _those_, hmm?"

The girl nodded. "Oh yeah. He's a me-person, alright. Though," she looked Kagome over more closely, "he might let you have a peek, _if _you go about it the right way."

Kagome laughed, and replied, "Thanks."

The girl nodded, then moved to the next table. Having gleaned most of the information she needed, Kagome got up and left the establishment. Surely an elderly man or woman, whom were most approachable, could enlighten her of the boy's whereabouts.

One deaf old man and three elderly, deaf women later, Kagome was getting frustrated. Finally, she saw another woman her own age, and in a roundabout way, got the girl to give her the info she wanted. Koichi could be found at his father's home, the last hut on the left side of the road on the way out of the village to the east. _Perfect_.

At first glance, Koichi's hut seemed rather dilapidated. The eaves sagged, various plants were growing in the troughs for rainwater along the edges, and the grass was knee high.

_Geez_, she thought disdainfully, _get a cow_.

A commotion could be heard around the back, and she guessed his father was out; no respectable man in this era would overlook his son making such a racket, especially with his friends in his own yard. It just wasn't polite.

And a ruckus was putting it mildly. As Kagome peeked around the corner of the house, she saw several young men joking and laughing together, and what looked like a bottle of sake passing between them, each one taking several swallows when his turn came.

_Slow down boys, its not a competition,_ she thought.

Suddenly a finger poking none-too-gently into her back made her jump, and she turned to face who she assumed was Koichi.

His face, streaked with dirt and grime, was cute, she supposed, if you could force yourself to see past the acne and the constant frown. His voice was deep, but not nearly as resonant as Inuyasha's. When he barked, "Who are _you_?", she re-focussed her eyes and decided to take the barmaid's advice: she was going to have to play the sophisticated older woman, for she could plainly see he was a few years younger than she.

Smiling, and placing her hand over her heart, which his eyes followed, she noted, she replied, "Oh, you scared me! Are you Koichi, the boy I've been hearing so much about?" Her smile grew. _God I hope I'm not pouring it on too thick_, she thought quickly.

Koichi seemed to relax after her question, and responded as she'd hoped to her smile. She was sure not many girls paid him much attention.

"I am. Have you come to see my shard of the Shikon? Because if you have, you've wasted your time."

Her smile faded. _What?!_ Thinking quick, she looked down, and stuck her lower lip out, pouting. "Why not? I came from a long way away just to see it... I thought maybe I could finally see a shard for the first time in my life. I've always wanted to see one."

He looked at her skeptically. He was obviously bitter, and wary of girls, even at this early point in his life; he was going to be a tough nut to crack. She decided to add a little extra incentive. "I'll do anything to see it..."

His brow lifted then, and she did not like his expression one bit. The wheels were turning, and suddenly she hoped he'd not come up with something _too _embarrassing or horrible for her to do to earn the privilege of seeing his prize.

Taking in a breath, he slipped his arm through hers, his whole demeanour changing. In the wary, nervous boy's place was that of a boy who knew how to play her game, quite adeptly, no doubt. She hoped she could outwit him.

"I'm sorry I was so suspicious, Miss...?"

She supplied her name. "Kagome."

He smiled. "Miss Kagome. I've just met a few very unscrupulous people in the last few days, and I have to be careful to whom I show my Jewel. There are many who have already tried to take it away from me."

She affected a sympathetic look, once again placing her hand over her heart as if to say, _Who would do such a thing?_ She felt the presence of the shard in his left pocket, just within her reach. Miroku's pick-pocketing lesson from a few years back would come in handy today.

He nodded, leading her toward the tight knot of boys gathered behind the hut. "It's true. In fact, someone tried to steal it just over an hour ago. But I dealt with him quick enough."

Her expression never changed, but Kagome couldn't swallow the huge lump in her throat at that cryptic response. _I hope I can do this.  
_

Reaching the others, Koichi called out, "Ahem, men. I have brought a young lady with me. Make her feel welcome, won't you? Her name is Kagome." He began to name his friends as he pointed to them, ten boys in all. She smiled and waved at them, and several eyed her with the look of a collectively hungry cat.

One of the boys, more eager than the rest, said, "Hey, Koichi, let us see the shard. You promised!" There were shouts of agreement, and, smiling, Koichi held up both hands, placating his peers.

"Soon. First, I want to find out more about our new friend." He turned to Kagome, his smile just shy of malicious. His arm had quickly returned to hers, holding her fast. There was no escape.

Swallowing her anxiety, she smiled back, seemingly oblivious to his intent. As he looked at her, forming his thoughts, she pretended to stumble, and quickly slid her hand into his pocket, pressing the shard between two fingers, and letting her hand slide away naturally as he steadied them both.

She gasped, "Oh, Koichi, I'm _so_ sorry!"

He only smiled, brushing her faux pas off easily. "Don't even mention it, Kagome. It's quite alright."

She pocketed the shard while he was occupied with her smile, which she flashed at him brilliantly in gratitude. "Good. I thought maybe I'd hurt you." Her gaze was contrite.

He shook his head. "Not at all. You know, Kagome, the boys and I were just remarking the other day that we never have any girls to hang around with. In fact, none of us has so much as seen a girl smile in our direction." Here his frown returned and he yanked her close, hissing, "I know your game, woman! Why are you here? No girl is interested in us!" Afraid, she yanked her arm away, deciding that now was a good time to depart.

"Well, I never! Excuse me for wanting to simply see a shard, Koichi! You ought to be ashamed of your manners, to treat a lady like this! On second thought, keep your shard. I don't want to see it anyway!" Turning on her heel, she stalked off, and when she had rounded the corner, looked back. He had not followed her. She began to run.

Koichi watched her leave, then snorted, disappointed. She'd seemed genuinely interested, and a few of his friends were glaring at him, blaming him for making the pretty girl leave.

"Damn it Koichi, we coulda had something there!"

"Shut up!" he barked, more angry at himself than her. His overly suspicious nature had turned away more than one girl in the past, but had protected him well enough from the malicious ones, too. "Forget about her. We all know what you really came here to see."

Digging around in his pocket, he frowned. _Where was it? Where was his shard of the Jewel?  
_

"_Now_ what's the matter?" someone asked impatiently.

Koichi straightened. "I don't have it."

The other boys looked at him, frowning. "What?!"

Koichi looked at his empty hand, and remembered clearly slipping it in his pocket not five minutes ago. He checked the seams in his pocket for a hole, and, feeling one, groaned inwardly.

"Fan out! Search the grass! And if any of you try to hide my Jewel from me, I'll knock your block off." He glared to reinforce his demand, and, methodically, the boys began their search.

* * *

Kagome took out the shard from her back pocket and inspected it closely. It was rather large, and shimmered with the pink tones of the others she had squirreled away in her bag. Smiling, pleased with her feminine wiles, even though she hadn't really used them (Koichi had kind of stepped on her opportunity), she put her newest shard with the others, and left the village, deciding to head back home to her friends.

* * *

Inuyasha, at a loss after the rain had stopped, looked at Sango and Miroku helplessly. Kagome's trail was long gone, and he didn't know which way to go.

Sango, having put a lot of thought into her next comment, braced herself for Inuyasha's reaction. "Inuyasha, maybe we should head back. I'm sure she's fine, we'd have heard something by now if she weren't. She can't travel forever. She'll likely come back soon."

Inuyasha looked at her with eyes so shiny with self-loathing that she knew her suggestion would go unheeded, even though Miroku agreed, "She's right. We're getting nowhere, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha shook his head, angry that they would give up on her. "Then you two go back. I'm going to keep looking." And he took off into the air.

Sango sighed.

Miroku asked, "What aren't you telling me, Sango?"

She turned to face Miroku and with a an impish smile and a gaze that couldn't quite hold his own, she confessed, "Kagome's coming back when she finds a shard. She's just trying to prove a point, and I think it worked."

Miroku raised a brow. "You knew this all along?"

Sango made a moue with her mouth and dug the toe of her sandal into the dirt. "Maybe."

He sighed. _All this way for nothing. Oh well._ At least he had her all to himself on the way home. His fingers twitched in anticipation.

"Shall we go, then?"

In response, she took off, leading the way at a fast trot. Shippo, who'd been unusually silent lately, looked at him from his shoulder and shrugged. Sighing again, he followed her.

* * *

Sesshoumaru heard his brother before any of his other senses registered him. He made a face and stopped in his path, silent, waiting.

Inuyasha landed before him, panting hard, and, none-too-subtly, sniffed his brother.

Inwardly, Sesshoumaru smirked. _Won't do you any good now, Inuyasha_.

Keeping his frown constant, Inuyasha asked, "Have you seen Kagome?"

Sesshoumaru contemplated the question. _Should he keep his mouth shut about his tryst with Kagome?_ If she decided not to tell him, he could avoid a lot of aggravation from Inuyasha. However, he could torment his little brother with the knowledge that his woman had been unfaithful to him... but that would only lead to his weakness coming out, and he knew Inuyasha would never let him hear the end of it. In the end he decided to be mum on the subject, even though he was searching for the same woman as his brother, but Inuyasha didn't need to know that.

"I have not seen your woman, Inuyasha. Is she missing?"

Exasperated that it had taken Sesshoumaru so long to even _deign_ to answer him, Inuyasha took off, his brother's usefulness spent. He obviously didn't know anything, so sticking around was largely pointless.

Inuyasha continued on, trying in vain to catch a whiff of Kagome.

Sesshoumaru also walked on, listening to the distant heartbeat of the woman he couldn't seem to forget. Deep down he knew it was for the best that they remain apart, but he just couldn't leave her without knowing she was alright, and felt awful about the way he'd treated her. He needed to apologise, but if she still felt the same, he would leave her alone. Permanently.

* * *

Unaware, Inuyasha was heading in the wrong direction, away from Kagome, who was leisurely making her way home. She had fused her new-found shard with the others, and kept it safely around her neck, attached to a long gold chain.

When she felt the demonic presence, she readied her bow and pointed her arrow into the forest, stopping her trek to concentrate on the signature. It was familiar, and she could guess who it was, despite how much she didn't want to see him.

Sesshoumaru strode around the bend in the road to see her arrow aimed directly at his heart, and she wasn't lowering the bow. He decided he'd better make this quick.

Kagome couldn't stop the memory of their time together from flashing through her mind, and a tear eked out of her eye as she called, "What do you want, Sesshoumaru?" She had not forgotten his treatment of her, as unintentional as her reaction to him above her like that had been.

He stopped before her, his face no longer unreadable. In fact, he almost seemed... sad.

Which was a new one on her. She lowered the bow, slowly.

For what seemed like a long time they stood there just staring at each other. Finally, he said, "Kagome..."

Her knees turned to jelly. Her heart sped up, and the dulcet tone of his voice sifted over her like velvet. She tried to keep her jaw from trembling. "I'm sorry too, Sesshoumaru."

He blinked, and she smiled a little. He slowly returned it.

Putting her arrow away, she hooked her bow back over her shoulder, unsure of what to say now. He just stared at her, surprised at her concession. He supposed they had both grown up a little over the past week, though to him, their time together had not lasted nearly long enough.

Kagome realised that they couldn't have a future, even after the time they had shared. It had been good, and she would never forget it, but she had friends waiting for her, and a hanyou whose apology she was anxious to hear. As much as she regretted it, she knew they were fated never to be together.

Sesshoumaru did not stop her when she passed him, saying simply as she did, "See you."

He let her go. She had made her decision, and he would respect it, even though they were apart of each other's lives now. She held a piece of him, and he treasured the memory she had given him. He would look out for her, for as long as she lived. It was the least he could do.

Kagome hung her head to hide the tears that threatened to escape. She had just passed up what was probably a wonderful opportunity; Sesshoumaru really was a very sweet man, once one got to know him, and peeled away the cold exterior. But she had prior loyalties, and she owed those loyalties to Inuyasha. No matter what, he came first, even when he was acting like a child.

Resolutely, she walked on, heading back to Musashi.

* * *

Sango and Miroku were on hand to greet Kagome when she returned. By tacit agreement, Sango and Miroku decided not to tell her that they'd followed her. She had proven herself by showing them the large shard she'd brought back, now fused to the others she had, to make one large piece.

Kaede had welcomed her back warmly, and asked after her adventure, but Kagome didn't say much. She kept from them what had really happened on her Journey, and told them only that her trip went mostly unhindered, and only got rocky when she'd picked the youth's pocket in the Western village so far away.

Miroku had beamed at her proudly, while Sango's scowl had melted into a smile, just happy that she was back safely.

When Kagome asked where Inuyasha was, Sango and Miroku exchanged a glance, then smiled at her. "He's out looking for you."

She widened her eyes. "Yeah? I never saw him. Where is he looking?!"

Miroku chuckled. "He lost your trail the day it rained. He's been trying to pick up your scent ever since."

She smiled to herself. He _did_ care. She'd known he did all along, she just forgot, he'd made her so angry. It made her feel good to know that he was sorry, even though he had not yet said so. They all knew that was why he searched so hard for her, or at least part of the reason.

Kagome picked up her bag and regarded her friends, chucking Shippo playfully under the chin as he smiled at her from Miroku's shoulder. "Will you tell him I went home to change? I'm sure he'll waste no time coming after me," she said, winking. They all smiled back, nodding.

She waved her goodbyes, Miroku escorting her to the Well to see her off.

"Kagome..."

She paused to look at him before jumping in. "What is it, Miroku?"

Something about her was different, and, though it was barely there, he discerned a change in her aura. It was... fuller, somehow. More content than he could remember. _Had she, while she was gone...?_ He blinked. _No. She wouldn't do that_.

He smiled back at her, shaking off his thoughts. "Have a good night."

The sun was setting, and she grinned, taking back the hand he'd unconsciously reached out for. "Thank you. See you soon."

"Yes, see you soon." He watched her go, then headed back. He would ask Sango if she had detected the change, too. If not, he would dismiss it as an over-active imagination.

* * *

Inuyasha returned, finally picking up her scent halfway home. He rushed in, asking, "Where is she?"

Sango moved the stew pot off the fire and replied calmly, "Good evening to you too, Inuyasha. Kagome is at home, showering I imagine."

He was gone in a flash. Miroku stifled a snort.

* * *

Kagome towelled her hair dry, then opened the medicine cabinet, looking for her spray-in conditioner. While she rummaged around for it, something fell into the sink.

Giving up on the conditioner, thinking that Souta had probably used it up on her (though of course he would _never _admit to committing such a crime, it being _girly_ to even use conditioner, ha!), she replaced everything in the cabinet, then spotted the item that had fallen into the basin of the sink. Picking it up, she turned it over. It was an old pregnancy test of her mother's; it looked like it was from the late seventies, or early eighties.

_Probably mouldy or something by now_, she thought, putting it away. Then, on an impulse, she took it out again.

_What the hell?_ She thought, and tried it. She waited, then dropped the test in the sink again when the door banged open, and Inuyasha was standing there, heaving.

Kagome was only in a towel, and she yelled, "Inuyasha! Get out!"

He shook his head, panting, "No, Kagome, not yet. I have to... tell you... I'm... sorry."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Inuyasha. That really means a lot to me."

He reached out, and enfolded her in a hug. She revelled in his warm embrace.

"Kagome?"

She looked up at him. "Yeah?"

He smiled down at her. "I like your new haircut."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Kagome?"

She creased her brow, laughing. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

He pointed down into the sink, an odd expression on his face. "That thing says you're pregnant."

Kagome's eyes widened, and she stiffened. _Oh, shit..._

* * *

Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you's at my next story!! Hugs and Kisses!! xoxoxox


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